Treatments -E.L.F. - Shine Eraser Blotting Sheets
direoui 4/3/2010 6:50:00 AM
i was using Boscia's Green Tea Blotting Papers ($10) until i discovered these ($1.50). very similar products, huge savings with the e.l.f..
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Primer/ Corrector -Smashbox - Photo Finish Primer
direoui 4/3/2010 6:44:00 AM
meh. unimpressive. Sephora's store brand is superior. i can do better and so can you.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lips -Chanel - Rouge Allure Laque Ming 76
direoui 4/3/2010 6:31:00 AM
the color is what i had hoped from YSL's Natural Pink #24 - it matches my natural coloring with a little more oomph. i think it wears longer than most glosses, especially when layered over lip-liner (i'm using Chanel Precision Lip Definer in Nude 05). if only the packaging were as lovely as YSL's. le sigh.
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Foundations -Shiseido - Sun Block Compact SPF 32
direoui 4/3/2010 5:59:00 AM
i've never been in love with a foundation before, none have ever thrilled me, but this one excites me. i've tried many drugstore and mid-range department store brands. Vincent Longo, laura mercier, Prescriptives, Revlon's Age Defying, and Maybelline's Dream Matte Mousse all stand out as ones i haven't hated. i was skeptical that a powder could provide good coverage without looking chalky since i have been disappointed by them in the past. i apply this with the NARS #19 brush for the fastest application ever. i use shade 30 and it really seems to disappear into my skin undetectable and be layered for moderate coverage. i can apply it over primer and creme concealers or apply liquid highlighters on top of it without it affecting the color or consistency of the other products. my skin is extremely oily so i use lots of blotting papers (E.L.F. Blotting Sheets are my current fave.) and need touch-ups throughout the day (or evening). it doesn't seem to settle into lines, but i'd recommend diligent exfoliation and moisturizer for drier skins because it magnifies flakes and the dryness i sometimes experience because of glycolics or retinols. i'm very happy with this purchase.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Christian Dior - Dior Addict Reflect - Red Stockings 757
direoui 4/3/2010 5:20:00 AM
LOVE! a beautiful complementary true red. so very flattering and subtle by itself for daytime or casual wear, but glamorous layered over red liner - i like Lola Cosmetics "Siren". it isn't long-wearing, but i have yet to meet a gloss that is without feeling like i've applied Elmer's Glue Stick.
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Concealers -Yves Saint Laurent - Touche Eclat No 2
direoui 4/3/2010 5:05:00 AM
i shall never be without it. i use it as a highlighter and under eye brightener, alone and in addition to concealer. after witnessing me apply it to my dark circles, a friend remarked, "No fair!" i wash the brush periodically so it doesn't get funky and am careful to make sure the product is distributed evenly among the bristles before applying. even if i end up with more than i'd like under my eyes, i just blend or apply to different features, such as the browbone and cupid's bow.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Essie - Fishnet Stockings
direoui 4/3/2010 4:49:00 AM
the only polish i wear. a gorgeous vintage blood red. Dita von Teese uses it, too! i buy 3 bottles at a time on ebay so i never have to hunt for one to bring to my nail salon or touch up a chip. men adore it!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Yves Saint Laurent - Rouge Pur Shine Natural Pink 24
direoui 4/3/2010 4:22:00 AM
i was discussing products with my boyfriend, who i often advise regarding hair and skin care products. he's witnessed me conducting research using this site for all makeup purchases from Saks to Walgreen's and heard me recommend it to others countless times. tonight, while i was browsing reviews, he asked me if makeup alley users had ever steered me wrong. i said that i had felt well-informed and satisfied by every item ever purchased after reading its makeup alley reviews...except one. i whipped out my gorgeous tube of YSL #24, swiped it on and faced him. his response, "Yeah; that is not good." of course i "wanted to love it"; i paid $30 for it! it makes me look like a corpse. not flattering in the least. i'd really like to see someone else wearing it as i just can't imagine who it might look good on. the tube is so lovely i keep it in case i find a friend it works for or occasions where i might need to look deathly ill, like Halloween or leaving work "sick".
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No