Lip Treatments -Jack Black - Intense Therapy Lip Balm spf 25
crystallineteddy 10/12/2012 1:13:00 PM
This is definitely one of my favorite lip balms. I live on the east coast and winters can be brutal. The only lip balms that have helped with my dry, cracking, peeling lips have been Fresh Sugar Lip balm and this product (I even wasted lots of $$ on La Mer which doesn't work nearly as well and the packaging is not as sanitary). I love the minty tingling of this product, it works really well keeping lips super soft.
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Treatments -Caudalie - Vinoperfect Complexion Correcting Radiance Serum
crystallineteddy 10/12/2012 1:06:00 PM
I like this serum quite a bit. At first, I was attracted by its beautiful packaging -- glass bottle with silver letters and a glass pipette! I'm a sucker for the functional yet classy bottle. This is the first Caudalie product I ever purchased and it does deliver its promise. I have combination skin that is very dehydrated and sensitive (many products break me out). But this serum hasn't caused any problems. I apply it every evening right before moisturizer and it is light, absorbs quickly, not too heavy when used in conjunction with a moisturizer (i.e. doesn't give a overly greasy/too-much-product kind of feel). Next morning, I do notice a subtle glow/radiance. Given the relatively reasonable cost ($60 compared to some other serums which run $200+), I think it's a great product and would definitely repurchase. (already used up a full sized bottle, am using a sample size right now)
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Loose Powders -Laura Mercier - Secret Brightening Powder
crystallineteddy 10/12/2012 12:57:00 PM
For the past couple of years, I've started wearing makeup daily to work and this has really been my HG in combination with LM secret concealer. An under-eye concealer alone does not do nearly as good of a job at brightening. With this powder, I can at least "pretend" to look the way I did a few years ago (before aging/lack of sleep/stress at work got to me). Considering the generous size (esp given its use in under eye area), it's a fairly reasonably priced product. I'm not a huge fan of the packaging -- they could prob do more to prevent too much product from coming out the little holes to the top half, esp when we have to carry it when traveling -- but I understand this is the standard loose powder packaging...
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Misc Beauty Tools -beautyblender - the sponge
crystallineteddy 10/12/2012 12:47:00 PM
This works great as an applicator for liquid foundations -- easy to use, just soak in water, squeeze excess out and bounce foundation onto face. It gives a seamless very natural look. Cons: It's pretty hard to clean. I bought the beauty blender cleanser and it takes more than a few squeezes to make sure the sponge is foundation free. Also, you need to be very careful about drying it -- mine was sitting in the bathroom and grew spots of black mold in less than a month. I imagine if you leave it out to air dry in a drier climate, it might be better.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Top/Base Coats -Seche Vite - Dry Fast Top Coat
crystallineteddy 10/12/2012 12:44:00 PM
This has been my HG top coat for years. Dries super fast in a highly-glossy finish. I'm not a very patient person and this top coat literally dries nail polish to touch in < 1 min (you need to wait a little longer if you really want to put pressure on your nails). The only downside is its smell -- pretty awful even if you don't purposely inhale it. A comparable product without the smell is Deborah Lippmann's fast drying topcoat -- but it's slightly more expensive.
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Foundations -Chanel - Pro Lumiere Professional Finish Make-Up ] [DISCONTINUED]
crystallineteddy 5/13/2007 6:40:00 PM
Love the pump bottle packaging. Medium coverage, Shell/Cendre 1.5 intensity was a perfect color match. It really does give my skin a luminous glow, however, in hours, that glow transforms to a oily sheen when the foundation starts to slide off. Only took 1 lippie off because I'm a generous reviewer =) and with regular powder touch-up, this foundation is really pretty good.
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Eyeliner -Laura Mercier - Caviar Eye Liner - Black
crystallineteddy 5/13/2007 6:31:00 PM
This is the best eyeliner I've ever used. Even though it requires a brush for application (and I'm super lazy), it's well worth the effort. Goes on smooth (wet or dry) and super dark. The best thing is that it doesn't smudge at all and I've got really oily lids (many pencil eyeliners just don't hold up, even with UDPP). This is my HG for tightlining, it makes my sparse Asian lashes look fuller. Also, i'm a contact lens wearer, it doesn't irritate my eyes.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Frederic Fekkai - Shea Butter Creme Luxueuse
crystallineteddy 3/19/2006 11:55:00 AM
I finally found my HG lotion. This stuff is really expensive for a body lotion but definitely worth a try. It's slightly rich and creamy and doesn't spread all that easily but it's sooo moisturizing and absorbs very quickly. I've got bumpy rough skin on my forearms and nothing worked...After I started using this lotion, it's become silky smooth. The packaging is great, it comes with a pump stopper so you can carry it with you in a luggage without worrying about spilling. The scent is just heavenly.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Lavender Sky
crystallineteddy 2/26/2006 9:50:00 PM
Lavender is my favorite color and I have so many lavender shadows that I can't count. So do I really need one more? Yes I do! because this is not your usual blue toned lavender, it has very obvious pink undertones and shows up pink/lavender-ish on my lids. I paired it with Overgrown (very unusual combination of green and lavender) and a dark navy blue shadow from Lancome (smudged as eyeliner) and the whole ensemble looked beautiful.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Overgrown
crystallineteddy 2/26/2006 9:45:00 PM
I'm a little surprised to see so many not so enthusiastic reviews about this product. I guess it really either works or doesn't. Greens have always looked good with my brown eyes and complexion (Laura Mercier TM in Nude). This is a very bright lime/chartreuse green in the pan and goes on silky smooth and fairly pigmented on eyelids. It reminds me of the neon green side of the Nars Rated-R Duo (which I adore). I wore it with Kelly Green and Golden Olive pigment the other day and it looked amazing! Love love love this color, really makes my brown eyes "pop". =P I'm sorry it doesn't work well for everyone.
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Lipstick -MAC - Culturebloom
crystallineteddy 2/26/2006 9:40:00 PM
My fav. of the Culturebloom collection. This is a perfect sheer strawberry red lipstick. It looks a bit intimidating in the tube but gives the most beautiful sheer red tint to lips. Can be layered on for more dramatic effect. Definitely reminds me of Nars Flaming Dust but this has more pink undertones and glides on like a dream (definitely a lot more moisture). Love it!
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Lipstick -MAC - Strawberry Blonde
crystallineteddy 1/24/2006 8:22:00 PM
Strawberry blonde is a perfect description for this lipstick. It's strawberry colored with a hint of coral. My favorite l/s out of the entire Deneuve Icon collection. Though the color looks a little bright in the tube but the finish is quite sheer and very moisturizing. It shows up on my lip as the perfect "just ate a strawberry popsicle" color. Love it!
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Honesty Eyeshadow
crystallineteddy 1/24/2006 8:18:00 PM
Beautiful dark chamgpagne color! It's got tiny sparkles of shimmer but no obvious glitter chunk (which is great because I hate having glitter all over my face). I use this as a wash or highlighter for center of eye lid..=) it's the perfect neutral look.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Satin Taupe
crystallineteddy 1/24/2006 8:15:00 PM
I'm a taupe e/s fiend because browns and bronze looks horrific with my skintone. This is the perfect taupe and the finish is great, not too matte, not too frosty. I love to pair it with MAC Honesty shadow. Gives me the perfect elegant/understated eyelook...=)
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Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Exact
crystallineteddy 1/15/2006 2:40:00 PM
This is the HG d/s mascara!(okay, I haven't tried maxfactor's version...) I gave into the the rave and just had to try this new innovative mascara brush. At first I was a little skeptical because the Rimmel's comb brush didn't do anything for me except for clumping all my lashes together. But this stuff is amazing, the rubber bristles really do a wonderful job of separating lashes. This gives me full, clump free, beautiful lashes and holds curls really well. I don't think I'll give up using Diorshow or Lancome Hypnose but I think the quality of this mascara is right up there (if not better!) The only gripe I have about this is that it seems to smudge a little....=/
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