Lip Gloss -Revlon - Colorburst Rosegold
elnash 2/16/2011 1:40:00 PM
These were buy one get one 50% off the other day at CVS and I'd been reading good reviews on the Colorburst glosses, so I picked this up. On my slightly pigmented lips, it is a lovely rosy nude with a hint of bronze shimmer. You see the shimmer more in the tube than you do on your lips once it's applied, but there's a slightly gritty texture to the gloss that Super Lustrous glosses don't have, so you can definitely feel that it's there. The pigmentation is decent and in line with what I have come expect from Revlon lip glosses. Alone, it's a semi-sheer shade that gives a MLBB glow; don't expect full opacity from it by itself. I've also layered it over NARS Napoli lipstick and it's a beautiful combination! The packaging is sturdy and practical, but as another reviewer stated, I'm not at all a fan of the wand. It's a double-sided doe's foot that's flimsy and bends easily. I would prefer a wand in the style of Revlon's Super Lustrous glosses. Overall, this is a very pretty lip gloss that's worth checking out.
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Palettes -Stila - Sleeping Princess Palette
elnash 11/7/2008 10:41:00 PM
Okay, I'll admit it - I was initially drawn to this palette not because of the colors or product inside, but the drawing of a dancer in her pretty pretty princess costume. It was cheap on Beautycrunch and I'm a sucker for a deal, so like a true sucker, I went ahead and bought it. Overall I find that Stila palettes are very good, and this one is no exception. You get three eyeshadows and a blush in a magnetized refillable cardboard compact (as was Stila's general habit when this palette was released). The shadows are very wearable - there's a pastel pink with some subtle shimmer, a medium rose color, and a deep chocolatey brown with some taupe undertones. The packaging says the first is the lid color, the second the crease color, and the third the liner, but I tend to wear the second on the lid, the third in the crease and as a liner, and the first as a highlighter. The blush is very well-pigmented and surprisingly flattering. Yes, there is glitter, and yes, I am generally not a fan of glitter in my blush. It is messy, and I always feel like a disco ball, even if I don't actually look like one. But the glitter is surprisingly fine, and though you can tell it's there, it doesn't permeate the blush so much that your first thought is "she's wearing glitter on her cheeks." Of the Stila palettes I own, this is probably my second favorite behind the workhorse that is my beloved Blanc. It provides a pretty, feminine, polished look that's day-appropriate if you substitute the blush for something less shimmery. With the blush, it's a very soft, lovely look for evening. I think this is going to become a go-to palette during the winter season. Well worth what I paid for it on Beautycrunch, though to be honest I'm not sure I'd pay more than that. In this case, I judged a book by its cover and got an awesome result.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Stila - Fandango Duo
elnash 8/15/2008 1:36:00 PM
Oh, Stila Fandango, how I wanted to love you. A few short weeks after discovering that lime green eyeshadow looks incredible on blue eyes, I set out on the quest to find the perfect lime green. It took a while - this one was too pea green, that one too spring green... I looked like the Incredible Hulk after awhile, what with all my Sephora swatching. And then I chanced upon you, Fandango, snuggling next to your eyeshadow duo friends in the Stila display. Your green side was the most perfect shade of lime imaginable, and the brown side? Beautiful. I quickly snapped you up (along with a $1.50 refillable pot to keep you in) and brought you home, displaying you proudly among all my other eyeshadows. But alas, this romance was not meant to last. I dove in eagerly after nesting both sides of you in the pot, and... well, okay, so maybe the lime green wasn't as bright as I'd like. WHO CARED?! It was lime green, right? And hey, your brown side was pretty amazing. Who cared if the side I bought you for was chalky with lousy color payoff? NO ONE, because lime green is just so durn pretty!!!! I reveled in my denial for weeks, trying to get the gorgeous lime color I saw in your pan to pay off on my eyes, but to no avail. I have finally had to conclude that... well, we just aren't meant to be. Your split personality is too much for me - while your ordinary brown side is dependable and versatile, your green side is... well, it's wild on the surface, but underneath it's all for show. I will end up only using your gorgeous brown side, leaving half of you alone for eternity in my makeup bag. (P.S.: Why did I have to buy your little cozy separately? I'm all for lowering impact on the environment, but really, how soon is anyone going to use up a pan of Stila shadow that they'll be able to refill the magnetized pot? Note to self: only purchase Stila in premade palettes from now on.)
14 out of 16 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Stila - Scarlett's Deluxe Palette
elnash 8/14/2008 9:29:00 PM
I picked this up on Beautycrunch as part of a recent order despite the less than glowing review below, and I have to say I'm glad I did. For reference, my coloring is NW15, very neutral, and thick black lashes and brows. When I initially saw it, I thought perhaps it would be too cool for me, but I thought I'd give it a shot. The eyeshadows are really pretty and of very good quality that you would expect from Stila - the gray that is advertised as the "liner" is especially beautiful when used in the crease. They're shimmery, but definitely not glittery - but if you work in anything other than the most liberal of environments, this is more of a nighttime look. So why did I take a lippie off? Well... this palette would have five if it contained only the shadows and lip gloss. The blush is awful! It is all sparkle and zero pigment, which is not a very flattering look for a 24-year-old woman no matter how you cut it. Also, this palette would probably not work well on anyone with skin much more than a shade darker than mine, so major points off for lack of versatility. Overall, though, this is a convenient palette that's well worth owning if you want a pretty, feminine look for evening that's a total no brainer. ***Edit 11/6*** While I still like this palette's eyeshadows, I've decided that the blush is enough of a drawback for me to say I wouldn't repurchase. I would rather buy three eyeshadows that will create this eye look than have a palette with something that I will never use in it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Maybelline - Express Finish in Pink Shock
elnash 8/11/2008 1:49:00 PM
I finally found a Maybelline product I actually like! Let me start off by saying that I am not a nail polish girl. I am terrible at applying it and no matter what brand I use, it always comes out streaky or with that weird tacky finish that never looks completely dry. The only reason I ever wear nail polish is to save others from the sight of my toenails in the summer. In my opinion, this is perfect for that purpose. Unlike many other nail polish brands I've tried, it dries quickly and to a nice shine. The brush is long enough that it nearly hits the bottom of the bottle, and the color is so fun! It's a slightly pearlescent Barbie pink that is absolute perfection for a summer pedicure. I have to take one lippie off, though, because the formula is kind of runny. But for this price, who cares? If, like me, you only use nail polish to cover up your toenails in the summer, this is probably one of your best bets.
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Lipstick -Rimmel - Lasting Finish - Airy Fairy
elnash 8/5/2008 10:04:00 PM
Although the color didn't work for me (it was too cool for my neutral skin tone), that isn't why this is getting less than a glowing review from me. On truly cool-toned girls, this would be gorgeous, and the lipstick applies smoothly and lasts a long time. The scent is nice, too. However, there are two serious drawbacks to this lipstick. One is the flimsy packaging. I know Rimmel is a drugstore brand, but that does not mean that the cheapest plastic they can find is an acceptable material for their lipstick tubes. I could see the lid to this cracking if you looked at it the wrong way. The second is the high-frost finish, which is unflattering on most people... and downright hideous on me. I'm swapping mine away; though it may work for some, it just doesn't do it for me.
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Lip Gloss -MAC - Love Knot (Naughty Nauticals)
elnash 8/4/2008 1:18:00 PM
This is a truly beautiful and unique lip gloss. The website describes it as a "sheer pink with blue and white duochrome." But don't let that scare you off if you're a more under the radar kind of gal when it comes to your makeup. The duochrome is really only noticeable in very bright natural light - it doesn't look like you're wearing blue lip gloss at all. Instead, it comes across as the most natural, gorgeous sheer, creamy pale pink. It's perfect for day - I wear mine to the office all the time. There are only two negatives to this lip gloss: one is, of course, that it's limited edition, and the other being that I HATE the brush applicator that Lustreglass comes with. I much prefer doe's foot applicators. However, overall this is an absolutely gorgeous lip gloss that I would repurchase with pleasure.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Shadestick in Beige-ing
elnash 7/29/2008 6:49:00 AM
Hello perfect eyeshadow base, where have you been all my life? I will admit that I am a tough cookie when it comes to bases. I have normal to dry skin and lids, so bases that work well for others (such as Urban Decay Primer Potion and Too Faced Shadow Insurance) make my eyelids flaky and red. It's difficult for me to find a base that ups color payoff without compromising my complexion. Well, here it is! I purchased this in January on an SA's advice - I have adored everything she recommended to me, but especially my beloved Beige-ing. It applies smoothly on my lids, and I have had no issues with the product drying out. You have to be sure you hear the cap click twice when you put it back on after use, otherwise I could see this being a problem. The packaging is very convenient - much more so than Paints or even Paint Pots - and if I'm in a serious rush to get out the door for work, a quick swipe of this on its own pulls my look together in a flash. This really is a fantastic staple for people like me whose lids are too dry for other eyeshadow bases.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Sally Hansen - Natural Beauty Inspired by Carmindy
elnash 7/26/2008 8:51:00 AM
I bought this in Poppy on a whim about a month ago, when the Carmindy line just came out. I'm MAC NW15, and though the lighter colors looked pretty, they also looked like dupes of blushes I already owned. In the pan, this color looks very bright pink, but it goes on wonderfully sheer! It's glowy without having noticeable sparkle - sparkles being a recent trend in blush that I dislike and find difficult to escape at times - and gives a flushed look without being unnatural. The wear time is relatively good, but this is the only respect in which it doesn't quite stand up to its mid- to high-end peers. Usually I don't have to reapply my blush throughout the day, but I find with Poppy that I need to touch up once or twice per day. Not a big deal, but considering that this blush is more expensive than your average drugstore blush, it is a bit of a drawback. Overall, though, this is a great product that I'm going to continue to use.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Stila - Stila Kitten Palette Summer 08
elnash 7/22/2008 6:08:00 PM
The longer I have this palette, the more I fall in love with it! I've had it since it came out in May, and at first, I just wore it to work. Simple neutrals for a more conservative day in summer - the bronzy neutrals were perfect when I needed a toned down look. And I still wear it to work. But it has found new life as a weekend palette when I go away to visit my parents, friends, or anywhere else. I hate carrying lots of makeup for one weekend, but I also want lots of options, so this palette is PERFECT. The neutrals are appropriate for dinner with Grandma, and the blue-green can make my look more fun if I'm hanging out with my friends. It's a staple for me - I wish it was permanent!
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Paradisco (Frost)
elnash 7/10/2008 8:26:00 AM
I wanted to like this, I really did. The color is gorgeous in the pot - a deep amber peach with gold undertones. It's not a color I've been able to dupe anywhere else, and with my blue eyes, I'm a peach/orange eyeshadow junkie. But the problem becomes apparent when I try to apply it. Most of the frost formula shadows I have from MAC are wonderfully pigmented, and my finger or brush picks up plenty of color. Not so Paradisco. Short of running a cheese grater over the surface of the shadow, I've done everything I can to get a decent amount of product to spread well, and nothing has worked. Maybe I just have a dud, but this is sadly not a product I find myself reaching for very often. It's too bad, because I own many other MAC shadows that are high quality, well pigmented, and blend easily.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Stilife Paint
elnash 6/28/2008 7:27:00 AM
This is not a bad product - if I could give it three and a half lippies, I would because I feel like three lippies indicates that I'm more ambivalent about it than I am. It has some serious strong points - the somewhat rosy champagne color works great as a base, and the creamy consistency is easy to blend if you're going to wear it with other cream shadows. However, as a base... it's not that great, to be honest. It works fine (it keeps my shadow from creasing and makes it last longer, though that isn't so hard to achieve on my dry-to-normal skin), but the formula is sometimes tough to spread without blending the color away. Also, the packaging loses major points for me; as others have said, the shadow glops and oozes out of the tube so that you always end up with twice as much as you need on your fingers. For an eyeshadow base, I much prefer Shadesticks.
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Lip Gloss -L'Oreal - HIP Jelly Balm [DISCONTINUED]
elnash 6/21/2008 9:57:00 PM
These balms are largely rumored to be dupes for Tendertones, the popular but pricey tinted lip balm by MAC. Having sampled these at the counter, I quickly decided that although they were pretty, paying more for a pot of MAC lip balm than for an actual MAC lip gloss was not my bag. So upon hearing all the buzz on the boards about these balms, I went out to see if my local Walgreens carried them. And voila! These come in six colors - the reviewer below did a good job describing them, so I won't beat a dead horse. I picked up Plush, the bright pink color... and wow. They really do feel just like Tendertones on your lips! I didn't notice any difference in pigmentation between the brands; the HiP balms are very sheer and light, just like the Tendertones I tested at MAC. The scent is a bit overpowering for my taste - it's cotton candy-ish and very sweet. Although it lingers on your lips for a few minutes after applying the balm, it does fade away. And the lasting power is great - I've been wearing mine for three hours with no real signs of fading. This is a great product at a decent price for what it is; I still think $9 is overpriced for what you get, but it's better than paying $14.50 with MAC. I'd definitely repurchase!
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Gloss -Bourjois - Eau de gloss 
elnash 6/21/2008 3:07:00 PM
This was recommended to me by a Sephora SA. I told her I was looking for a nice, sheer pink lip gloss that gave off a natural look. She gave me this gloss in Rose a l'Eau. Well, this product delivers what I asked for, but not much else. The brush on the applicator is way too tiny for a lip gloss - it's almost closer to the size of a liquid liner brush than a gloss brush. You have to apply several coats for the gloss to even show up, and it melts off your lips within a half hour. What's worse is the way this product has aged - I've had it only a month and it's already developing a gritty, unpleasant texture. All this at $15 a tube? No thanks. I'll have a Lipglass instead.
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Blush -MAC - Neo sci-fi Spaced Out
elnash 6/20/2008 10:06:00 PM
This blush is AMAZING. And I don't say that about many makeup items. I especially don't say it about blush, which is perhaps my least favorite makeup item. I can never seem to blend it properly, and I'm always terrified I overapplied since I'm so fair. As a result, I only own three blushes. Until very recently, I only owned two and I practically never wore them. A lovely MAC makeup artist made me a convert to this blush and got me re-examining the blushes that had been collecting dust in my makeup drawers. First of all, the color is absolutely beautiful. It's a very sheer peach, and the package says it has shimmer, but if it does, it's extremely subtle. No over the top sparklies here, ladies. Secondly, it is so beautiful and sheer that it is impossible to overapply. Seriously. Every time I wear this, I feel like I got a little bit of color into my Morticia Addams complexion, but never as if I dunked my cheeks into a vat of strawberry ice cream. I love the way it adds a little punch to my skin tone - my cheeks, but better. HG for me - I just wish it were a permanent item.
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