Mascara -Christian Dior - Diorshow Black Out Mascara
ellie179 5/26/2013 7:22:00 AM
Like most Diorshow mascaras it does deliver in terms of definition. I get thick, long glossy black lashes, really amazing comparing against bare lashes. But I like lots of volume and personally Extase gives more oomph in terms of volume, (but on a flipside the brush doesn't pick up excess the way Extase does). Another gripe I have about Black Out is that it has a tendency to smudge after about 8 hours. Would I buy it again? Unlikely when Dior keeps coming out with new variations all the time - all the more to experiment.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair -Unlisted Brand - Agadir Hair Oil
ellie179 4/21/2013 4:21:00 AM
This product works well for me if I blow dry/iron my hair - instantly soft, smooth and straight. Smells pleasant too. But after a while I find that it doesn't seem to do much in terms of taming the frizz on hair that's been air dried (and I live in a humid, tropical climate - a.k.a frizz-ville), and while using it to smooth the ends does make it soft, the effect is only temporary. I've since moved on to Kerastase Elixir Ultime which I find suits me better as a multi purpuse, overall product that's much more lightweight and smells more divine.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Chanel - Vitalumiere Aqua
ellie179 3/23/2013 5:33:00 AM
I love this. It's my HG foundation (the other is UD's Naked Skin) as I like sheer, lightweight foundations. This is very lightweight and perfect if you're going after a natural look. Skip this if you're looking for coverage as it's very light, almost non-existent. You need to give it a good shake before using to ensure the product comes out right, without separation. You're meant to use this with your fingers too. I'm a B20 (5.0 for UD, C4 MAC) Downsides: Packaging means no chance of breakage unlike glass but unfortunately you won't be able to see how much product you have left. It's so expensive for what little amount you get.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Urban Decay - Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup
ellie179 3/23/2013 5:16:00 AM
Love this! Together with Chanel's Vitalumiere Aqua, this is my foundation HG. Lightweight, ultra blendable light to medium, natural, demi-matte coverage. Colour range is impressive (compared to what you usually get in Asia). I use it with the Optical Blurring brush and finish with Guerlain's Meteorites loose powder to frequent compliments. I've not tried it with a primer yet as I find it relatively long wearing but will probably experiment with that one of these days. As for the nourishing ingredients claim I can't attest to that as it wasn't a main driver for me to try this anyway. I was a B20 for the Vitalumiere and I use 5.0 for UD.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Paula's Choice - Skin Perfecting 8% AHA Gel Exfoliant
ellie179 3/23/2013 4:52:00 AM
Excellent product! My skin has been it's best since I included AHA/BHA into my skincare 2 years ago after reading the advice from Paula's website. My skin has since become mostly blemish free and even toned. Pimple scars and discoloration from sun damage have faded. I started with the RESIST line but decided to try this instead since it's 8% and water based. I much prefer the gel texture. In terms of pricing I think it's value for money, the gel lasts ages. You might want to try samples from her website before committing to see if it works for you.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Toners -MAC - Lightful Softening Lotion
ellie179 3/23/2013 4:26:00 AM
I use this product after cleansing to prep my skin for the next steps in my skincare regimen. I decided to give this a try after reading the review on Beautypedia and have been pleased with it enough to repurchase. It's light, non-drying and the ingredients are a plus. I have seen improvement in my complexion (more even toned) when used in conjunction with my overall regime. It's expensive though, as with other departmental brands, but I take comfort that a bottle lasts me 4-5 months, my skin loves it and it contributes to my B2M collection.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Christian Dior - DiorShow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum
ellie179 2/14/2013 8:24:00 AM
Did thicken and lengthen my lashes for a bit of oomph but nothing too dramatic for the price you pay. Hardly a month in and for some reason the mascara brush head got unscrewed from the wand, rendering it pretty much useless.Not something I'd repurchase again.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -MD Skincare by Dr. Dennis Gross - Continuous Eye Hydration
ellie179 2/14/2013 7:03:00 AM
Light eye cream that provides instant hydration. Absorbs quickly, non-greasy and no problem applying makeup right after. It's touted as an anti-aging skincare but I didn't see any real benefit apart from the moisturizing factor. Still I like it enough to want to repurchase.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Giorgio Armani - Eyes to Kill - Excess Mascara
ellie179 8/5/2012 7:17:00 AM
This is a great mascara. It's a glossy black formula which combined with the brush, gave me long, separated lashes with some volume. No problem with smudging or flaking and holds my curled lashes all day. Removal is a breeze too. Price is comparable to other departmental brands and packaging is classy and minimalistic. This is now one of my favorites aside from YSL Faux Cils and Diorshow Iconic and Extase, but I think if you want to add major drama to your lashes, Dior is the way to go.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tools -Urban Decay - Grind House (sharpener)
ellie179 12/23/2011 7:48:00 AM
Best sharpener I've come across for my 24/7s. Before this I was using my other sharpeners that came free with my liners (Chanel, Dior etc.) but they never seemed to work for my 24/7s so I caved in and splurged. They're fantastic, all my pencils, including non UD ones are sharpened to a nice clean point which makes a huge difference in application. They work great for my larger pencils like the Nars Velvet Lip Pencils. Never thought I'd be raving about something so mundane as a sharpener but the Grind House sharpeners are quality and worth the extra price. I bought a 2nd piece as backup just in case too.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -NARS - Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Bahama
ellie179 12/23/2011 7:40:00 AM
I love the velvet matte pencils and Bahama is one of my go-to colour. It's a lovely muted pinky brown which makes me look polished in a subtle way (I'm a MMM). Agree with other reviewers that the cap could have been designed better. The pencil form makes application more precise and more efficient to store in my makeup bag. Some matte lipsticks are boring and not many provide such a nice comfortable texture that's non-drying, so even though I find it a bit pricey, I do think it's a quality product I don't mind splurging on.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Skinceuticals - Eye balm
ellie179 9/14/2011 11:35:00 AM
I'm bummed because I've finished my jar. I love this product but it's so expensive! The good thing is you only need to apply a tiny amount because of it's emollient nature. It's the first eye cream that really works on my dry and often puffy eyes - I can feel and see the difference. My skin just loves it. Make-up goes on beautifully too. Its meant for mature/aging skin so they've heaped plenty of goodness in it. I'm only 31 and don't quite fall into that category but this without a doubt is something I will repurchase when my budget allows for it. The only downside apart from the price is the fact that it comes in a jar which according to the Cosmetic Cop may lead the product ingredients to lose its efficacy.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Christian Dior - Diorshow Extase Flash Plumping Mascara
ellie179 6/10/2011 9:23:00 PM
I asked the SA to recommend me a Diorshow that would give me va va voom lashes and she reached out for this one. I was a little sceptical because of the brush but the results are impressive. Lengthens, thickens, curls and probably the only mascara I've ever encountered where the curl retains its shape even past 12 hours. Fantastic. I can't compare to the original Diorshow because it was more than 7 years ago since I tried it but it's definitely better than Diorshow Iconic because this does a good job of lengthening too. My only complaint aside from the high price is that the brush tends to pick up a lot of excess so you'd really have remove the extra globs lest you end up with clumped out lashes.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Primer -Urban Decay - Eyeshadow Primer Potion - Sin
ellie179 6/10/2011 9:12:00 PM
I've not the tried the others in the series but this stuff rocks. It's the only thing that has worked for me . While I have normal to combination skin I've always had dewy lids and my makeup would hardly last half a day. Not a problem with this baby. Creates a lovely base for eye shadow to adhere well and lasts for long hours. I have darker lids too so this champagne shimmer does well to brighten it up - I can use it on it's own. The only thing I don't like about it is seeing how messy my wand can be when I unscrew the top but that's hardly a deal breaker, just a me being picky. I now want to try Eden and Greed, for variety. Can't wait!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Sephora - Fan Brush
ellie179 6/10/2011 9:03:00 PM
Soft bristles and does a great job of redistributing pigmented powder. However my experience is similar as reviewer mmcgoug - the brush lost some shape and the outer bristles started getting a little funny, although nothing too severe that would render it useless. Next time I'll opt for MAC instead.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No