Liquid -Shiseido - Sun Protection Liquid Foundation SPF 42 PA+++
dopalives 11/4/2012 6:57:00 PM
I can't believe I'm going to say this but this is my Holy Grail foundation. After trying a ton of pale foundations, this is it. It feels good to know I won't have to keep trying any more products. For starters, my coloring is in the N10 range. I use this in SP10. It is a liquid consistency on the thinner side, but not excessively watery. I use a damp Beauty Blender sponge to apply. I have never had anything cover my pores and match my skin color so well. It is neither too pink, nor too yellow. It's just right for me. It is weightless on the skin, does not suffocate, and dries to a semi-matte finish. I top it with Kevyn Aucoin Gossamer powder for a touch of radiance. My skin does not break out from this. It wears like iron. Does not become patchy over time. I have yet to have it wear off. I work my shift, come home, it's still on and looks good, all after 13+ hours of wear. I oil cleanse to remove all traces of makeup. I would say this is full coverage on me. It does not have the "paint" feeling of Revlon Colorstay or Estee Lauder Double Wear, but provides close to the same coverage when applied. I have been using Paula's Choice 2% BHA liquid and this has made my pores less apparent. Using this Shiseido foundation covers the rest of my pores without sinking into them. Almost flawless 40-something skin is the result. Don't wait to try this. I'm sorry I waited as long as I did. All my other foundations are going on the swaplist.
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -MAC - Cleanse Off Oil
dopalives 8/9/2012 1:06:00 AM
This is my HG cleanser. I haven't found anything with the same consistency or texture. Missha's cleansing oil is close in texture, but it burns my eyes. I will gladly continue to buy the Cleanse Off Oil again and again just because it's that good. It emulsifies and rinses clean. I do follow up with Cetaphil bar soap, but it's not necessary. It removes even the most stubborn waterproof mascara too. Use it on dry skin, massage thoroughly and rinse. Super product!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Kevyn Aucoin - The Pure Powder Glow in Dolline (Apricot)
dopalives 3/1/2012 2:16:00 AM
Love this blush! Perfect color of light/medium peachy/apricot. Really warms up and brightens the face. This is what I wanted Chanel Espiegle to be. Though I still do like the Chanel, I find their blushes are not the most pigmented. I have yet to find a Kevyn Aucoin product I don't like. This goes on super smooth, has terrific staying power (at least 14 hours for me), and doesn't break me out. It's pricey, but for the quality, you really do get what you pay for. Super pigmented, super luxurious, super beautiful. I would definitely repurchase this blush. It's one of my favorites in my collection. I rate it up there with Illamasqua for pigment and quality.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Sonia Kashuk - Instructional Eye on Neutral Palette
dopalives 12/13/2011 1:19:00 AM
I was searching for a matte neutral eye shadow palette for my "maturing" eyes. This palette is quite impressive. Very low cost and the color payoff is amazing for the price point. I find myself using this almost every day. The colors are super blendable and soft. Not gritty or chalky. Definitely will repurchase.
14 out of 14 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -It Cosmetics - Bye Bye Pores Poreless Finish HD Micro-Powder
dopalives 9/7/2011 11:01:00 PM
This has been the best powder for my oily skin. Fills in pores like nothing else. I can see that it may not be suitable for dry skin, but it's perfect for me. Makes the surface of my skin flawless and smooth, blurs imperfections. I have bought this again and am on my third jar. Wonderful product. HG material in my book. Wish it were not made in China. EDIT: This powder is too dry in the winter. I have been using Paula's Choice 2% BHA liquid and it has made my skin a whole lot less oily. I find this powder now looks chalky on me. I have switched to Kevyn Aucoin Gossamer Loose Powder to add back some radiance to my skin. Maybe I'll try it again in the summer when my skin is oilier.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Sunscreen -Biore - UV Perfect Face Milk SPF 50+
dopalives 6/24/2011 3:33:00 AM
I'm loving this sunscreen as a PRIMER. Controls oil, dries down to a soft matte finish. My foundation applies beautifully over it, no matter which one I use. I have oily skin and I'm finding I only have to blot once a day. I like this as a primer even more than Murad Oil Control mattifier. I will definitely repurchase. Find it on ebay, bobodave.com, or other asian beauty sites. Love this stuff!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Neutrogena - Make-up Remover Cleansing Towelettes
dopalives 3/18/2011 1:52:00 AM
These are my go-to makeup remover wipes. They remove all of my makeup, even waterproof mascara. Soft enough to use every day. It even takes off Revlon Colorstay foundation for me. I will continue to buy these over and over. A bit pricey, but for the convenience they're great.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Murad - Skin Perfecting Lotion
dopalives 5/23/2010 8:51:00 PM
I am a diehard Olay Daily Regenerating Serum gal. However, I'm also oily skinned. I tried the Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion on a whim and I really do like it better. My skin doesn't seem as oily as it normally is. I still use the Olay around my eyes, but the Murad seems to balance out the moisture in my facial skin so I'm not having to blot as much during the day. It's expensive. I also use Murad Oil Control Mattifier as my primer. The two Murad products together have been really good for my skin. Just wish they weren't so pricey. No breakouts here. EDIT: This just doesn't do it for me anymore. There are tons of other moisturizers out there that are less expensive and work just as well.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Revlon - ColorStay Makeup - Ivory
dopalives 5/23/2010 8:36:00 PM
I purchased this after trying the PhotoReady line. I have to say the coverage is great and Ivory works okay for me. It wears like iron, but does feel particularly masky to me. I wish it had a pump. If you have a lot to cover, I'd recommend this foundation. If you want lighter coverage, go for the PhotoReady. Colorstay can have a tendency to look cakey if it's not applied correctly. Overall, if I was in a pinch and needed to, I would repurchase, but it's not HG material for me. I may try mixing colorstay with photoready and see if I like that better. I use the oily skin version of Colorstay. I always use a primer underneath too. EDIT: will not repurchase as I have found my HG foundation: Shiseido Sun Protection Liquid SPF 42.
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Foundations -Make Up For Ever - HD High Definition Foundation
dopalives 5/23/2010 8:27:00 PM
This is now my HG foundation. When I swatched it on my arm, my pores disappeared right before my eyes. I couldn't wait to try it on my face. The Sephora SA matched me with 115 but I eventually went back and got 110 and I feel this is a better match for me. I have never used a foundation that actually made my pores disappear. This is it! I set with silica spheres from TKB Trading and I use NYC Smooth Skin pressed powder to blot throughout the day (maybe once if needed). I do use Murad Oil Control Mattifier as my primer under any foundation I use. People I work with have commented how nice my skin looks. No break outs. The coverage is medium, but you can layer it for more coverage. I use the Sephora #55 brush to apply. Lasts me all day and my skin looks beautiful, not masky or heavy at all. I hope this helps. EDIT: After trying a ton of other products and then going back to this, I have to lower my rating. For some reason this isn't working for me anymore. I can't figure out why, but it's just not great looking on me anymore. It actually accentuates my pores now. Weird. Won't repurchase.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -New York Color - Smooth Skin Pressed Powder
dopalives 5/23/2010 8:19:00 PM
What a great powder for $3! I was going to buy MAC blot, but this works great. I'm super pale (MUFE 110), so I bought the translucent shade. Works extremely well as a blot powder and doesn't change the color of my makeup. I simply sets and blots. I really do like this and I'm glad I didn't spend the money on MAC. The compact is cheapy cheap, but heck, for $3 I don't care. It's easy to carry in your purse and it hasn't caused break outs. I will definitely repurchase. EDIT: I still like this powder, but I have found you have to use it sparingly or it does start to look cakey. Use a light touch.
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Blush -Illamasqua - Katie
dopalives 5/7/2010 10:00:00 PM
This is a very beautiful pink blush that works really well on my pale skin. I can get the perfect amount of color without it looking garish or too bright. The blush lasts on my skin a long time with a primer under my foundation (oily skin here). So far this is my fave blush. Pricey, but when you find your go-to product, it's worth it to me. Love this blush. I can even put it on top of other blushes to tone them down. Perfect flush of color!
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Concealers -Hourglass - Hidden Corrective Concealer
dopalives 4/23/2010 7:37:00 PM
This concealer is actually pretty good. The only thing that keeps it from being a good product for me is the color. Pearl is what I bought since I am fair skinned. Unfortunately, it's too yellowy and dark for me. If they would come out with a lighter shade than Pearl, then this would be a pretty good buy. The coverage was acceptable to me. The consistency is creamy and glides on very nice. Hourglass Cosmetics are very expensive, so I am disappointed, but I will send it back and get more of the Veil Mineral primer which I love. I wish they would expand the Hourglass line to include more shades. Not all of us are "beige".
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Christian Dior - 5 Color Eyeshadow - Extreme Blue 205
dopalives 4/16/2010 1:20:00 AM
This is my absolute favorite Dior quint! The blues, purples, and green are lovely. Pigmentation is excellent. Super blendable and I get compliments every time I wear these colors. Wish I could find it again.
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Moisturizers -Murad - Oil-Control Mattifier
dopalives 4/14/2010 7:56:00 PM
This is HG for me. I've tried many different primers. This is the only one that lasts on my skin. I do moisturize first (Olay Regenerating serum), let that sink in for a minute, then apply the Murad. I let it dry for a minute or two while I get dressed. Then I apply my foundation, concealer, etc. I have repurchased this 3 times. You can vary the amount you use. I use less in the winter, more in the summer. So far it's been a great primer for me. I do set my foundation with silica spheres from TKB trading. This I think is key to helping the primer throughout the day. Murad is pricey, but after spending money on primers that didn't work, I don't mind buying it because I know it works. I hope this helps.
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