Shampoo -Suave - Professionals Almond & Shea Butter
christi4200 4/8/2013 11:43:00 PM
I generally use Wen, which I adore, but when my budget doesn't allow for Wen, I use this and the matching conditioner. Keep in mind I have a big stash of Redken, Biolage, and other expensive salon brands, but I still go for this when I'm not using Wen. If you check the ingredients list, the good stuff, like Almond oil, Shea butter, and tons of plant extracts and vitamins start right near the beginning, which is very impressive. I can't say the same for most Suave shampoos, but for some of this Suave Professionals line, (I think that's the name of this line, but don't quote me.) the ingredients are great. Also from this line, the Rosemary & Mint and the Aloe Vera & Ginseng have excellent ingredients, and are good shampoos/conditioners as well. The others I mentioned are for different hair types/needs, so check them out. This Almond & Shea butter one is for dry/damaged hair. Even if your hair isn't dry & damaged, you should try this. Often shampoos and conditioners designed for dry & damaged hair will give your hair the best moisturization and won't strip it as badly. All shampoos with sulfates strip your hair of vital oils, and color, but this is more gentle than many. This, along with the Almond & Shea condish, leaves my hair soft, silky, moisturized, and clean without feeling stripped. I get mine from Walmart, and the biggest size bottles are only $3, and come with a pump, which I prefer. (Until the bottle starts getting low, then pumps suck). You can't beat the price, but that's not why I use this. Just because my budget doesn't sometimes allow for Wen ($35 a bottle), doesn't mean I can't buy Paul Mitchell or use the Redken, Matrix Biolage and other salon brands that I already have. (I hoard when there's a sale is why I have a big stash) I genuinely love this! I can't believe I'm recommending a Suave shampoo & conditioner, cuz I'm a product snob, but I still won't deny when something's great, I don't care what brand it is! Well maybe I'm not such a product snob after all then lol, I just like high quality, which is more prominent in expensive brands. But that doesn't mean there aren't cheap/drugstore gems! You need this if you love a great shampoo/conditioner, whether you're on a budget or not!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -FLOWER Beauty - Powder Up! Loose Powder
christi4200 3/25/2013 2:39:00 AM
I have to add my two cents, that YES the colors are marked wrong on these, and there is most definitely a manufacturing defect. I bought the lightest shade, and it looked like a dark bronzer. So I returned it & told the guy at customer service who advised me to call 1-800-Walmart to tell them about the manufacturing problem. He said his managers wouldn't listen to him if he told them about the issue. Lol, probably true. I did call 1-800-Walmart and tell them (shows how much i love makeup lol) but the woman I spoke to seemed rather incompetent/disinterested/confused, so I don't think that helped much. Maybe Drew will read these reviews and fix the problem lol. Anyway, I checked the other powder shades just to be sure, and when I looked at the 2nd shade as there was one there that was opened so I could check, (there's 3 shades) it was most def much lighter than the shade that is marked as the lightest. So be careful when buying the lightest shade. Unfortunately, unless you find one that's already opened, there is no way to check the shade and if u find one that's already opened, u probably don't wanna buy it anyway, but I digress. Just wanted to warn everyone! The texture of this powder did feel lovely tho, very silky for a drugstore powder. I have a feeling it's a nice powder in the correct shade.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Unlisted Brand - Shills Electric Eyes Concealer
christi4200 3/2/2013 1:02:00 AM
Shills is a Taiwanese brand that has very adorable Benefit-esque packaging. I am not sure which brand was around first, but one def influenced the other as far as packaging is concerned. Shills can be found on evil bay, as well as Sasa.com, which is an excellent, reputable website to purchase Asian beauty products. Sasa is a big cosmetics chain store in Asia as well. Be careful if purchasing on eBay, as fake Shills products are common, just like fake skin79, Étude House, etc. The seller kiss-beauties, a Chinese seller on ebay, does sell authentic shills products Tho. All authentic shills products will have a laser mark on the back of the product. Anyway, about the concealer- it is AMAZING for under eye circles IF you're fair to light/medium as they only have the one shade, as most Asian brands do only have one or two shades unfortunatey. It is pink/salmon colored, so perfect for diffusing bluish under eye circles.. It is very moisturizing, so if u have dry/mature under eyes, this is amazing. If u have oily under eyes, set with a tiny bit of silica or lightweight, silky powder. (Like Benefit powder-flauge) I can't believe more people don't know about this product! I am obsessed with Asian beauty products at the moment. Their low end, drug store brands are often as good as American high end brands! I find this just as good as Bobbi Brown corrector, and that's saying a lot, because that's my HG! This was only $10 on Sasa.com too. I highly recommend you all check out this brand, they have this adorable retro-girl packaging, and some excellent products! I will review some more of their products on here when I have a chance, so that I can help others discover this awesome, inexpensive brand. As a makeup artist, and being half Italian with very dark circles, I've tried TONS of under eye concealers/correctors. This is seriously one of the very best out there!
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BB Cream -Bobbi Brown - BB Cream SPF 35 PA+++
christi4200 2/28/2013 2:03:00 AM
This is my favorite American bb cream, and the only one I really like a lot. I prefer Asian bb creams, Korean in particular, but this one is quite good. This was actually released in Asia about a year or two before it was released in the States, so that's probably why the formula is closer to the Asian ones. The coverage is good, I'd say light, but buildable to medium. This feels comfortable for my normal to dry skin, but I do moisturize first, it wouldn't be enough moisture for me on its own. I have oily skinned clients who also use and love this, so apparently it works for many skin types. It feels so lightweight on my face. I wear extra light, and I'm an nc15. The extra light shade has a great yellow undertone, but it's not so overly yellow (like bobbi's foundations) that a cooler undertoned individual couldn't get away with it. It wears very well thru out the day, and I never set it with powder, but I do set it with UD All Nighter setting spray. This smells like sunscreen a little, and I love it. I must be weird, because I thoroughly enjoy the smell of sunscreen lol, I always have! Anyway, I like this so much I would pay full price for it, even if I didn't get a pro discount. That is saying a lot, because I wouldn't pay $42 for many bb creams, especially when I can get excellent Korean ones for much less. If you're looking for a great Bb cream from a Western brand that isn't just a re-named tinted moisturizer, this is your best bet IMHO.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
BB Cream -Urban Decay - Naked Skin Beauty Balm
christi4200 2/27/2013 3:07:00 AM
Unfortunately, I agree with the negative reviews on this product. I'm a makeup artist and I received 40% off with my pro discount from Urban Decay, and this wasn't even worth the discounted price. First of all, the fact that UD decided to do this in one " universal" shade is downright baffling. I'm an NC15, so very fair, and this made me amusingly orange. I read a few reviews from girls that said they are NC/NW15 and this really worked for them, so I hoped it would work for me, but not even close. I doubt it worked for them either, my guess is they are going around cluelessly orange. I won't be keeping this to use on clients, as it is very drying, smells oddly chemically minty, which I doubt my brides would enjoy, and the "optical blurring" claims are a bunch of crap. My pores and fine lines weren't minimized at all, and I actually have good skin, I just need some evening out, which this didn't even accomplish in the slightest. As a primer, this neither extended the life of, nor improved the look of my makeup. As I said, this was quite drying on my normal to dry skin and felt heavily of silicones, which I don't necessarily mind, but there was no creaminess or balmy type of hydrating texture, just straight silicones, so it feels really velvety, just not moisturizing, if that makes sense. I talked to an Urban Decay rep on the phone when I called to check on my order, and she raved about how awesome this is and said very pale people could definitely use this, which got my hopes up a bit, but she was def wrong to say the least. I'm sick of American bb creams, they generally suck. Although, I do like a few, such as Bobbi Brown's. Korean bb's are my fav tho, they are amazing, especially skin 79's offerings. All in all, this might work for light/medium to medium toned oily skin as a tinted primer, as I could envision it being very mattifying on such skin types. I would definitely not recommend this to anyone looking for a good skin perfector, tinted moisturizer, and certainly not to anyone who wants a good bb cream. This isn't a balm or a cream whatsoever. Big fail for me, I will end up returning this or selling it to someone else who wants to try it.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Vera Wang - Illuminating concealer
christi4200 10/9/2012 12:07:00 AM
I love this concealer! The lightest shade, 201 is perfect for very pale skins like myself (nc15) for undereyes. It is quite pink toned, so perfect for brightening those dark circles. It's very silky and moisturizing and doesn't settle into fine lines much at all. It is light to medium coverage, so if ur circles are very dark, u will prob need a concealer underneath this for perfect coverage, but I use this alone if I am just running errands or something. I really love the texture of this and I have tried a ton of concealers and illuminators, high end and DS. I own so many concealers it's ridiculous! I'm always searching for that HG I suppose. This is a new line of makeup available @ Kohl's btw. I'm not sure if it's exclusive to there, but all their other makeup and skincare brands, and most of their clothing brands are exclusively @ Kohl's, so it probably is. Anyway, I highly recommend this! It's good stuff. I didn't rate it a 5 because it doesn't cover completely and it creases, but it's still a good product.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair -Moroccanoil - Moroccan Oil
christi4200 10/4/2012 5:49:00 AM
Before I was knowledgeable about reading ingredient labels in hair and skin care, I paid way too much money for this @ a beauty supply store. I think it was $40 for a small bottle. It did what any cheaper hair serum would do, which is basically coat your hair with silicones so you think it's moisturized and it feels silky, but in reality is doing nothing for your hair. I read the ingredients one day and realized it's mostly silicones and argan oil is almost the last ingredient. I don't think there is anything wrong with silicones as a heat protectant, but this is advertised as having argan oil, which is the selling point. I paid $40 for a 3.3 oz bottle of silicones. That doesn't exactly thrill me. Many people know this, but for those who don't, ingredients are listed in the order of greatest to least. So just look at the label when you're buying a product like this, and if you see the ingredient(s) that you're interested in near the end of the list, don't buy it. Companies love to do this, with skin care as well. They say something is anti-aging for your skin, and then put very little of the advertised good ingredients in the actual product, counting on the consumers not to bother reading the label! Even if u don't know what alot of the ingredients are (I certainly don't know what many are), u can still skim the list and make sure the antioxidants are near the beginning! Just do a little research on antioxidants. Anyway, I've since discovered 100% pure Moroccan argan oil, which is absolutely amazing and has done wonders for the condition of my hair! My hair was extremely dry and damaged from bleaching it blond one too many times. It was so brittle and I lost a ton of it everytime I washed it. I tried the CO method, which did help it along alot, so I highly recommend anyone with damaged hair to start CO washing. I only did the CO washing for a couple months when my hair was really bad tho, because I do prefer to just wash it with a good moisturizing shampoo every couple days and use dry shampoo in between. There's name brands, like Josie Maran, that charge an arm and a leg for a tiny bottle of pure Moroccan argan oil, but if you look around, you can find it for cheap. I found a 4 oz bottle @ TJMaxx for $12 recently! Check there and look online for pure Moroccan argan oil. Just make sure the ingredients are nothing but argan oil from Morocco. I put a few drops throughout my wet hair, and this combined with deep conditioning treatments from Biolage and Joico have really changed my hair. The quality salon hair products were helping, but I really noticed the difference when I added the argan oil to my routine about a month ago. It is much softer, moisturized, silkier, shiny, manageable and I'm thrilled. I am almost scared to write this because I don't wana jinx it! I know, that's irrational, but I still feel that way haha. Anyway, even if u can't afford any luxury shampoos and conditioners, (which also are @ TJMaxx btw!) at least look around online and at local discount stores like TJMaxx and Marshall's for some cheap pure Moroccan argan oil! It is amazing and has done much more for my hair than silicone serums (which I DO still use as heat protectants, just not $40 ones!) Sorry for the long review, I do that sometimes when I'm thrilled about something & want to tell the world LOL! And don't forget to read your ingredients so you don't ever get ripped off like I did. :) Good luck!
6 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -LUSH - Oatifix Fresh Mask
christi4200 9/23/2012 5:36:00 AM
I love this face mask! In fact the only reason I didn't give it a 5 is cuz it doesn't make an extremely dramatic difference to my skin, but this is probably because I have pretty good skin anyway. (Don't be thinking what a bish I am now, cuz I have awful dark circles!) However, it does smell so incredibly amazing, and moisturizes and exfoliates very well. It smells like oatmeal, bananas, nuts, and cinnamon! OMG I just wanna eat it. It does look pretty gross on ur face tho, I always scare my 3 yr old daughter when I have it on LOL, she runs away from me. Anyway, I usually leave it on for a half hr, and afterwards, my face feels sooo soft, smooth, and looks bright and clear. They say these masks only stay good for a few weeks, but all my Lush fresh face masks, (and I have tried about 5 different ones), have stayed good for several months. I do keep my fridge quite cold, and I keep them in the back, which is the coldest place in my fridge. I just used up the rest of this today, and it was 6 mo.old and smelled just as delish as when I first got it! U can also freeze them, especially if u buy several @ once like I do, and thaw them out the nite b4 u wanna start using it. I get about 4 or 5 uses out of one of these. I definitely recommend this gentle, exfoliating, and moisturizing mask to everyone!
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Highlighters -Christian Dior - Shimmer Powder 002 Amber Diamond, Spring 08
christi4200 9/21/2012 1:05:00 AM
I love this so much! It is an unbelievably creamy, soft, just beautiful powder highlighter. The *color* of this may be able to be duped with cheap imitations such as Physician's Formula shimmer strips, (which many say are a dupe of this) but that's it. The texture, beauty, subtlety, staying power, and finely-milled, silky-soft luxury of this Dior masterpiece cannot be duplicated. Neither can the happy feeling it gives me just to take out the pretty compact : ) Can u tell I adore this? I never feel nearly as fabulous when I take out my PF Waikiki strip, I have to say. And isn't that feeling part of the thrill of using HE makeup? That, and the amazing quality of course! Also, the PF shimmer strips are much, much frostier than the Amber Diamond. This is hard to pick up in pics, where they look very similar, but in real life, especially in the sunlight, the Dior is much more subtle than the PF, which looks like a glitter bomb exploded on ur face, and ends up all over ur face throughout the day. This gives you the most gorgeous sheen and luminousity when applied to your cheekbones, or anywhere else u like to highlight, and stays in the place u applied it throughout the day. It's not glittery, it just lights up your whole face and gives your makeup that finishing touch, that makes u look and feel amazing. It also doubles as an eyeshadow, and comes with 10 grams of product, which is about twice the size of your average highlighter. And did I mention the packaging? I still store mine in the adorable little velvet pouch it came in, I can't bring myself to throw it out lol, but the navy compact with CD on the front is very sturdy, luxurious, and elegant, with a large mirror that always comes in handy. This will work as a highlight on every skintone. Yes it's expensive @ $44, but I don't regret this fabulous splurge for a second! If u want a designer imposter, by all means, the PF is a pretty highlighter, although, NOT a dupe. But if u want perfection in powder form, go for the Dior. (I know some will vote this review unhelpful becuz i dared to say the HE product is better than the DS "dupe", but oh well, it's true!! LOL)
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Maybelline - COLOR TATTOO barely beige
christi4200 8/28/2012 7:24:00 AM
So happy I finally found these after searching so many stores! Many Walgreens, Rite Aids, and other drug stores plus WalMart & Kmart do not have these. I finally found some @ Bed, Bath, & Beyond the other day, but they were almost sold out. After trying this and absolutely adoring it, I found a few backups thankfully! This really reminds me of Bare Study paint pot by Mac. Texture wise, it's quite similar, and I wish these had been out b4 I got Bare Study, but oh well, I still love my paint pots too. I have to say I prefer this to Bare Study, I like the color better. I also feel like the formula has improved on these limited edition CTs, they're creamier, and less sheer and spotty like some of the shades in the permanent line. I mostly prefer HE makeup, but when there's something amazing that comes out in the DS, I will be the first to admit it! (and snatch it up) Barely Beige is a gorgeous champagne/cream color that looks great on its' own and of course as a base. Once blended out, it's not overly frosty, it is just a gorgeous sheen, not glittery like I thought it might be. This makes a beautiful quick lid wash, as well as an inner corner highlight- a 2 second polished & pretty look, can't beat that! Pop a matte color in the crease if u have a little more time, and it's even better! I strongly recommend u pick up some (or all like me :) of these LE shades. I have the 3 other LE neutral colors, and while this is my fav because I'm a sucker for pale neutrals, those are great too. There's a beautiful olive called Mossy Green that looks fantastic paired with the L'Oreal Infallible in Golden Sage or Golden Emerald. The other shades, Rich Mahogany, a beautiful deep cocoa with subtle burgundy shimmer, and Gold Shimmer, an antiqued gold with a hint of rose are gorg as well! I am very impressed with these new CTs. It's so great that they came out with more wearable shades just in time for fall. I was wishing they had a champagne, and more neutral colors, and now they do! I think many people said they wished there were more everyday, wearable Color Tats. I hope these become permanent, and the limited edition thing is just a marketing gimmick. Oh! And I also bought the flat, synthetic brush they have on the display with these. It applies this, as well as my other cream shadows (like EL Dbl Wear and Mac Paint Pots), like a dream. I even bought a backup brush I liked it so much! Anyway, I really doubt anyone will be disappointed in this, if u love champagnes and pale neutrals, like I do, get it!
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - ColorBurst Lip Butter in Tutti Frutti
christi4200 8/23/2012 2:30:00 PM
Buyer Beware: if u are pale skinned, this may look fabulous on u! LOL ;P I'm NC15 & this looks great on me. It's a perfect darker orange on my quite pigmented lips. So moisturizing, and I can sheer it out, or layer it for a fresh orange summery pop of color. I also fake tan alot, and this looks great whether I'm tan or pale. Love the lip butters! Some are more sheer, but this is def one of the more pigmented ones. Buy it!
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Concealers -Laura Mercier - Secret Camouflage
christi4200 8/23/2012 7:21:00 AM
I'm a bit of a concealer connoisseur : ). I don't have oily skin, it's normal to dry, yet I have an extremely hard time finding a concealer that lasts longer than a few hrs on my skin. (& that's if I'm lucky) Idk why. Maybe it's my weird chemistry, but whatever it is, it really sucks, and has cost me a ton of money in my search for the perfect (i.e. stay put) concealer. Concealers that work well for others never seem to work well for me in the lasting power department, even if I set with powder. Besides, I want a concealer that lasts without having to always set with powder, especially for under the eyes, or when I'm in a hurry/on the go. I own EL Dbl Wear, MUFE Full Cover, Mac Pro Longwear, Studio Finish, Studio Sculpt,(well all the Mac concealers), Laura Geller Real Deal, Amazing Cosmetics Amazing Concealer, and many more. Enter LM Secret Camouflage. Not only does it last on me, but it covers amazingly well. I am a fair nc15 & use SC-1. I use the darker side in the summer when I'm (fake) tanned, and mix the two shades throughout the rest of the year. Because I can mix the shades, I only need this one concealer all year round! Now that doesn't stop me from using others because I have such a huge stash I have to use up what I have. It also didn't stop me from buying this in SC-3 for a more perfect shade to use when I'm tan, but I didn't NEED to, I can get away with using SC-1 all year round. I just love this concealer so much, I wanted it in another shade. I also mix the colors from SC-1 and SC-3 sometimes too. If and when my concealer stash is all used up, this is all I'll use, at least for the face! Now, you do have to work with this product a bit, but it's totally worth it. And it's not as complicated as many other reviewers have made it seem. It's really easy to mix the two shades. What I do is take a flat, synthetic concealer brush and drag it across the pan it a few times in one shade, then wipe on the back of my hand. Then, I flip the brush over, and drag/swipe it a few times in the other color, & wipe on top of the first shade that's already on the back of my hand. I repeat this process; mixing the two shades till I get the color/amount I need. Takes less than 30 seconds. Then I apply to my face. Simple as that. I use a tiny stiff eyeliner brush (the one that comes with the Maybelline gel e/l is perfect) for any pinpoint concealing, which works great. I then make sure everything, including all the edges are blended with a fluffy eyeshadow brush like the 217. Oh and I almost forgot..a very good tip is to make sure your face is VERY well moisturized with a great moisturizer before applying this concealer. ( I use Skin's Shangri-La or Skin Drink both by Lush, my skin is norm to dry, a great option for oily skin is Lush's Celestial.) Start applying it right after your moisturizer (or moisturizer and primer) when your face is still moist, and this will help tremendously with spreading it due to its' drier, waxier consistency. I also recommend keeping the little plastic covering that comes on top of the concealer when it's brand new instead of tossing it because it helps keep it from drying out. I also keep a hair tie around mine to keep it tightly closed. And sometimes I mix with my clean fingers as well, using the same method as I use with my brush, and this helps warm up the product. Yes, it's not as creamy as ur standard concealer, but this is why it lasts so well. I don't even have 2 set with powder! I use a different concealer for under my eyes, as this does tend to settle in fine lines. Also, for the amount you get compared to other concealers at the same price point, this is a good deal to me. I've had mine over a yr, using 4 times a wk @ least, and have barely made a dent. Highly recommend this to anyone who needs a good facial concealer that will hold up!!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Unlisted Brand - Expressions Roll on Lipgloss
christi4200 8/22/2012 5:31:00 PM
I bought these for my *beautiful* 2 yr old little girl for dirt cheap from TJMaxx! She absolutely loves them. They go on clear and aren't sticky, so these are fantastic for kids or young girls just getting interested in makeup. They also come in different scents. She kept getting into all my makeup, especially my big collection of UD & Buxom glosses and Mac plush glasses (excellent taste this lil girl has I must say ;) and this helped her growing curiosity about makeup and saved my more expensive glosses from being ruined!! Win-Win lol. Highly recommend to other mommies for their little girls just getting interested in makeup! I think she'll love these for a long time :)
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Highlighters -Jemma Kidd Makeup School - Dewy Glow All Over Radiance Creme in Iced Gold
christi4200 8/11/2012 1:21:00 AM
I can't believe there's only one other review for this! I am a highlighter freak and this is seriously in my top three! (I can't choose just one, I'm too much of a h/l hoor). This is the most subtle dewy glow just like the name states. It's not TOO subtle tho, it's just perfect. NOT sparkly or shimmery, just the most gorgeous sheen, even in the brightest sunlight it's not sparkly, it's just a perfect glow! Exactly what I look for in a perfect highlighter. This shade, iced gold, is perfect for fairer skintones, and the other shade, rose gold, is the most flattering on medium to darker skintones. I'm NC15 and this is gorgeous on me. I just think highlighter adds that finishing touch to your makeup that really pulls any look together and makes u look radiant! I got this off beauty bay.com with free shipping and I believe it was around $20. A small price to pay for perfection :)
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Rimmel - Match Perfection Concealer
christi4200 8/8/2012 7:04:00 PM
This is an awesome DS concealer for undereyes! I've been doing some stash shopping lately and really embracing some old DS loves :) I set it with the tiniest bit of Mac MSFN or e.l.f. HD powder, and it stays all day. I don't always set it with powder tho, and it's still fine w/out. I love how people are complaining that this doesn't cover acne, acne scarring, etc. when it's called a HIGHLIGHTING concealer. It says right on the tube, 2 in 1 highlighter & concealer. Don't *highlight* your blemishes, people!! LOL. It's not that type of concealer. Don't ever buy any concealer that boasts its' highlighting properties & expect it to cover your pimples! It will cover a bit of redness around your nose or something like that, but for acne, etc. you need a Mac studio finish type of concealer. Or even Hard Candy's glamoflauge would be a good DS option. Alot of people dislike this brush type applicator, but I must be weird cuz I actually like it. Then again, I also like clicky pen brush applicators too, and most people complain about them also. Overall, this is an excellent option for beauty on a budget!
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No