Lip Treatments -Blistex - Five Star Lip Protection
cmannequin 8/22/2012 12:32:00 AM
The reason this product failed for me was because of the white cast it gives. I am a person that loves to reapply lip balm. Not only did this not moisturize my lips and still leave me with flakes of dead skin, but it also has a white cast that makes me look ill. I do not enjoy the texture either because it does not sink into your lips, and if you have flakes of dead skin, this will clump in that area when applying and stand out even more with the white cast. I understand that this has a high spf (spf30) but I do not want to walk around looking like casper the ghost. Much better lip balms out there (my current favorite is blistex deep renewal, although it does not seem to work well for everyone)
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Eyeliner -Unlisted Brand - KOJI - Dolly Wink Liquid Eyeliner
cmannequin 8/4/2012 12:40:00 AM
The best of the best. Tsubasa is a Japanese model who came out with her own line of cosmetics. The Koji Dollywink is even better than the K-Palette 24hr. liner in my opinion because it is more pigmented. I live in SoCal where it is super hot and this did not budge even with my oily lids. I also took this with me to Taiwan where it is super humid, and still this did not budge. Super fine tip that easily gives you the perfect thin line or flick, however it is also very easy to create a medium thick line with. For everyday I choose this over my BB gel liner because it is so quick and easy and really shortens my routine, especially when I'm in a rush for school. Sets immediately and does not smudge. Not waterproof, but hold up well if you have watery eyes and rub your eyes a lot. HG and definte repurchase. Purchased this for around $12 while I was in Taiwan
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Wet 'n' Wild - Color Icon Single in Brulee
cmannequin 7/7/2012 2:01:00 AM
Perfect for those mornings where I am in a rush as an all over lid colour with some liner and mascara. Not over done and perfect for when I don't want to wear a lot of makeup but still want to look polished. Great as something that is slighter lighter than my skin colour and that I often use as a blending colour or brow bone highlight. Super cheap, I bought mine for $1.99 at CVS. I can imagine this as a perfect brow bone highlight for darker skinned ladies. Has a beautifully matte and velvety texture and super pigmented. Only reason why I gave it a 4.5 was because of its slight powdery-ness and cheap plastic lid, but it doesn't pose a big issue for me.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -L'Oreal - Hydrafresh Anti-Shine Icy Gel
cmannequin 6/13/2012 5:12:00 AM
I can't even begin to describe how much I love this. Sadly the only place I could find this was everywhere but in the U.S. (-__-x) I bought mine while on summer vacation in Taiwan last year at a Watsons store. if you have ever been anywhere in the eastern regions of Asia (Korea, East China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, etc.) you guys will understand what I mean when I say that during the summer it is so hot and humid that I always contemplate for a long time whether to leave a ACed room. This obviously cannot help with the pouring sweat due to humidity, however when I used the backup I bought here in the hot Socal weather, it really did help keep the shine at bay! I have combo/oily skin in the summer and I dont use foundation. I did not need to blot even once during summer school (7:15-1pm) Obviously this wont keep you from being completely matte/oil-free throughout the whole day, but it definitely helps a ton. Also the texture and feel of this on the skin is amazing! Has a very cooling sensation and isn't thick or heavy. Moisturizing enough that I can use this during the dry winter months, (remember I live in desert weather) but not too rich and still perfect during the summer. Very moisturizing but might not be enough for dry skinned folks. ( if you have dry skin but still want to use this in the summer I suggest using a moisturizing 'lotion' [toner, Hada Labo (?)] and that should do the trick) with this. This is very similar to the gel moisturizer that is from neutrogena that also comes in a jar (blue) but the only difference is that this has the extra step of mattifying. Every time I go to taiwan I restock. I literally buy 4-5 jars and dump them all in a pump bottle....I don't understand why they don't sell this in the U.S., I'm sure it would be extremely successful given how everyone loves the garnier one.. which is not better than this in my opinion. Anyways the only downside to this is that it comes in a jar, however I like to dump it all into a pump anyway so that doesn't pose too much of a problem for me . I gave it a 2 for packaging the jar is a glasslike plastic (?); heavy and not cheap feeling at all. Definite HG moisturizer for summer!
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Simple - Cleansing Facial Wipes
cmannequin 5/24/2012 1:50:00 AM
I got this for free from a past Target Beauty Bag. Right when I first opened this I was unhappy with how little essence there was on the clothes and how they were much drier than any other facial clothes I have ever used. In comparison the Ponds and Neutrogena ones are a lot softer and more soaked, which in turn takes of my makeup more efficiently. (Although I find ponds to be less effective) On a daily basis I use the Neutrogena or L'oreal makeup removers so compared to this these honestly did not have a chance. I do not wear face makeup so I can not say how well it takes off foundation etc. however I do wear waterproof mascara and eyeliner (asian brand that is very difficult to remove) and these clothes did little remove them. After using this I looked in the mirror and saw that all this managed to do was move around makeup so that I had two black panda eyes. In the end I gave up and just used my regular makeup remover, but I did test this on the back of my hand and found that I really had to rub the cloth for it to remove anything. Was not at all impressed by these and therefore will not purchase. One good thing though is that this has no scent.
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Eyes -MAC - Paint Pot in Rubenesque
cmannequin 5/6/2012 9:11:00 PM
This is a beautiful pink golden peach color in the pot. On my NC20-25 asian skin tone it transfers more golden and can sometimes look a tad too orangey during the winter when I don't have a tan. However I tend to wear this in the summer and it looks amazing! Beautiful consistency and is very creamy. Has golden shimmer throughout it and is sheer, but can be built up a bit. I prefer to wear this alone or layered under eyeshadows. Either way though you definitely need a primer under this because it creased on me within 3 hours. Then again all of the Mac pain pots do, and I do not have oily lids. UDPP alone will keep my eyeshadows from creasing. Eyeshadows are relatively easy to blend over this. Has lasted me a long time and I still have a lot of product left. Overall a great product and a definite repurchase! Spring/summer is almost here in SoCal and I can't wai to bust this out again.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyes -MAC - Paint Pot in Bare Study
cmannequin 5/6/2012 9:03:00 PM
Ah I love this. I love my neutrals and shimmer so this is perfect! It is a beigey champagne color in the pot and on my NC20-25 asian skin tone it transfers almost the same on my eyelids. Consistency is excellent and creamy; 10x better than the maybelline color tattoos. This is easy to blend and gives a SHEER wash of color. This is great as a base for other shadows or can be worn alone for a slight shimmery color on the lids. Usually for school I will wear this (over primer) with some liner on the upper lashline and mascara and call it a day. The only problem this has is that I cannot use this as a primer because it does crease within 3 hours of application. I do not have oily lids and usually UDPP alone works well for me. So I have taken to layering this over a primer to really make it last. That being its only con, this lasts for a very long tim! It has been over a year already and I still half half of the product left and it hasn't dried out yet. Perfect during the winter or summer. I will definitely repurchase after I run out!
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Concealers -Maybelline - Instant Age Rewind Eraser Dark Circles
cmannequin 5/5/2012 3:16:00 AM
For reference I am around an NC20-25 and use the shade light pale, which is a tad lighter than my skin (barely). I also use the maybelline mineral power concealer in cream (a recommended drugstore concealer of mine). This product just did not want to work for me. It has a gelish texture and is packaged in a tube attached to a puff ball that you twist up to dispense the product. I only used this under my eyes, but no matter how much I applied it did not help to cover even 50% of my dark circles, and they aren't even that bad! They are slightly purplish/brown (asian skintone) and my mineral power works just fine in covering them up so I am extremely baffled by other reviews saying this covers up well. Even with primer underneath this still caked up with just a dot more than a thin layer. O goodness, two layers made me look 3 times my age...Even with a setting powder (I tried MUFE HD and one by Too Faced) it did not last my entire 8 hour school day. As if that wasn't bad enough, after 2 weeks the stupid twisting mechanism broke and if I tried to twist in the direction I'm supposed too, instead of product coming out the entire top unscrews. It is now extremely difficult for me to get any product (not that I want too anymore). The puff ball is neat for on the go but is overall very unhygienic. This was a complete wast of money and I will never repurchase again. DRY SKIN GIRLS BEWARE. I am combo skin with normal under eye skin texture and this settled and caked.
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Sunscreen -Neutrogena - Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 70
cmannequin 4/21/2012 1:06:00 AM
I am looking for a good BODY sunscreen because Socal's summer sun isn't the most friendly. First off packaging is pretty standard, although for the body the size isn't the most convenient. The consistency of the suncreen isn't too thick, but its not the easist to blend. On my arm and legs I do notice a slight whitish cast at first, but that eventually fades withing 30 mins. The scent is not overpowering, I can only smell a little bit of that "suncreen smell" when I stick my hand directly under my nose. My only problem with this is that it is NOT dry-touch as it claims. I wake up at 6 everyday for school because classes start at 7:15 and I leave the house at 7. I put this on around 6:50 everyday, and by 3 period I feel a slight stickiness. Multiple friends have come up to me and hugged/touched me and asked me why I'm so sticky, so I know it's not only my imagination. The stickiness progresses throughout the day so by the time school ends and I get home (around 3:20) I feel gross and dirty and have to take a shower immediately. The feeling is the same one gets after a long workout where you've sweat a lot. Problem is I'm student aide for Track so I DON'T exercise or sweat, so I know the source of the stickiness is the sunscreen. Also, my skin looks kind of glossy after one-two hours, so I assuming that if you put this on your face you might end up looking like a grease-ball.
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Top/Base Coats -Seche Vite - Dry Fast Top Coat
cmannequin 4/3/2012 1:33:00 AM
No, just no. For a top coat this isn't that cheap, costs more than many other brands. The reason its so hyped? 1.Youtube gurus 2. High shine and dries very quickly. Sounds like the perfect top coat doesn't it? WRONG. Yes I love how glossy it is and it does dry extremely quickly, a bonus for us girls who don't have the patience to do our nails, but that's where the good aspects stop. I'm 100% positive that anyone whose ever tried this can tell you this gets pretty goopy VERY quickly. There's no denying it. Within 2 weeks it was so thick I could tip the bottle upside down for a good 10 seconds without any polish dripping out. Why do I need to go out and buy nail polish thinner or even bother with having to thin it out for the price I paid for this? There are many topcoats that work just as well without me having to do that extra step and waste money. Plus this doesnt really make my nail polish last any longer (yes I seal off the tip). Within 2 or 3 days my nail polish will start lifting a bit at the corners and peel off. My verdict is that too many are blinded by the raves and how fast it dries to really realize that it has more cons than pros. Won't repurchase or recommend to anyone.
10 out of 14 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Revlon Matte-Pink Pout
cmannequin 4/2/2012 1:45:00 AM
This is a very blue toned pink lipstick. It really is what many people have described it as, a cool lilac barbie pink. I suggest a gloss to tone it down. As for formula, I have semi dry lips as they do tend to flake/peel on me if I do not regularly apply chapstick. I also exfoliate my lips 3 times a week. However this still sunk into my lip lines a bit and emphasized minor dry patches. I do not recommend this for those with dry chapped lips! No strong noticeable smell as far as I can tel, but I still don't like this lipstick. I am Asian and have a fair complexion (NC20-25 ) and I have a strong yellow undertone, but this looked completely horrid against my skin! Clashed against it and made my skin look very sallow and sick. Even at my tannest (NC25-30) it still looked bad, It seems to work on others that have strong yellow undertones/warm toned, so I am not completely sure as too why it makes my appearance look worse. I'm not sure what it is, but for reference MAC's creamcup had similar effects too. My lips are not pale, they have a decent rosey pink coloring. Normal lasting power of a lipstick. If you are talking or eating, you'll need to reapply. This lipstick made me look scary, will not be repurchasing.
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Foundations -Garnier - BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector Daily All-In-One
cmannequin 4/2/2012 1:22:00 AM
Sorry just had to edit.. yes there isn't a need to give a history lesson, however because of some american types of bb creams that have not worked well on people, they are quick to judge and have dubbed it as BS cream. The "history lesson" is to inform others so that others are not quick to judge the whole concept as garbage. High end snob? I think not. more than 60% of my makeup comes from the drug store. Besides I mostly stock up on my BB creams whilst in Asia; super cheap! I have given this product a decent amount of time. Constantly trying it out for over a month and the verdict is, whether it's a "real" BB cream or not, that it sucked. But to each his own. I'm pretty sure most of you know this, but there is a big difference between Western BB creams and Asian BB creams. If you do know the then please skip this part, this is only for the few ignorant people who do not know (I say ignorant only to the idiotic person below who commented that they are scared to try anything made in Asia...what an idiot. Practically +75% of the things you use and wear on a daily basis is made in Asia. Even high end brands have their makeup made there, you might as well go live in a cave) Anyways Asian BB creams to be an all in one product and to give a lighter coverage than foundation. (although a few do give very full coverage) They are made to look natural, like skin, and have whitening, brightening, and other skin care benefits (I have noticed some improvements). The reason why it is more preferred than traditional foundation is because it is lighter and not cakey looking, yet still manages to provide good coverage. I personally prefer BB creams much more. This trend is not new, BB creams have existed since long ago The version that these American brands have been coming out with are not what is recognized by the majority as BB creams. They resemble more like tinted sunscreens that give very sheer coverage.Do not judge bb creams from what you find here. anyways on to the review! ========================== Product review: I have combo skin that is slightly more oily in the summer and drier in the winter. I am also acne-prone and sensitive to most base makeup. Although I do not break out into huge pimples, if something does not work, I will get tiny red pimply bumps. This did not break me out, but I do not see the skin care benefits that it claims. This provides a sheer to light coverage, so for those expecting something along the lines of medium-full coverage, I suggest you pass on this. Pros: -contains SPF (although this is NOT enough alone) -Will cover very faint scars and blemishes -Build-able, but this is very sheer, so expect to put on a LOT of layers to achieve medium coverage. -Hydrating; somewhere between a satin and dewy finish -Natural looking. Good for those who want something light to wear every day Cons: -Smell will offend some people -Even the light shade is touch too dark for me (NC20-NC25) -A tad too orange toned for my very yellow undertoned skin. -Thick texture (depends on preference) Feels like a very thick moisturizer, not my cup of tea. -No oil control. I dot NOT recommend this for oily skin or even those combo gals who lean slightly more to the oilier side. You will look like a disco ball -Oxidizes throughout the day. Seems to like to migrate a little into dry patches throughout the day. -Will slip so I suggest setting this with a powder. Even for those with dry skin, it still slips in the summer (proven by 3 of my dry skinned friends) There is nothing special about this bb cream (In my opinion it is more of a thick tinted moisturizer), and I will stick to my current favorite oriks vitamin c bb cream. There are plenty of other moisturizing bb creams that work better and offer more coverage, so I will not be repurchasing. I do not recommend this product either as the smell is off-putting.
7 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -eos - Lip Balm Sphere - Lemon Drop SPF 15
cmannequin 3/26/2012 6:10:00 AM
I am redoing my past review on this since it was so horribly done. Let me just say, I love lemons. I love to drink it, put heaps of it in my pho (literally need to ask the waitress to give me 5 extra slices), and I love the smell. No I'm not weird. Past the smell, the cute egg shape, and the ingredients, this preforms OK. It moisturizes alright but if you have dry chapped lips I do not recommend this. This just sat on top of my lips and did not really penetrate them, so I still felt my lips peeling at the end of the day. It does give a very glossy appearance, so if you like that and you dont need a lot of moisture then go for it. Smells like lemon candies and the taste is nice. Packaging is very poorly thought out and bulky. After buying two at the same time, each time I used it around the halfway mark, and then it would become too difficult and inconvenient to apply. This is due to the fact that afterward the dome shape flattens. Also, how the hell am I supposed to fit this in my pocket at school? Putting it in my backpack is such a hassle (since I like to reapply chapstick a lot), I will repurchase only if I'm left with no other option or bored of my other chapstick.
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Lip Treatments -Burt's Bees - Tinted Lip Balm - Pink Blossom
cmannequin 3/26/2012 5:53:00 AM
Not very moisturizing. Off putting smell similar to the rose one. Formula is too... weird? Mine had some tiny white chunks in it that separated after i had it in my pocket during school and it melted a bit o.O I dont like the color. Was expecting a lighter pink, but instead got a magentaish pink. Clashes with my yellowish skin. In general I dont really like these burts bees tinted lip balms
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Lips -Burt's Bees - Rose Tinted Lip Balm
cmannequin 3/26/2012 5:50:00 AM
I love the concept; slight color with the benefits of a lip balm? hell yes! I dont know why, but this just didnt work. Formula isn't very..solid? Melts a bit in my pocket during school and that has never happened to me, regardless whether its summer or not. So when I go to apply it, its very soft and overall messy. The red color looks very pretty swatched, but it looks very off against my yellow undertoned skin; makes my skin look very sallow. Besides you do have to be careful when applying this because once I applied it like a normal lip balm, later in the day my friend told me it bled a bit past my lip line. The scent is also off putting for me, and this is not as moisturizing as soft lips, eos, or the regular burts bees. For $10, this really isnt worth it. Id rather buy a palladio tinted lip balm or a korres lip glaze
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