Eyeliner -E.L.F. - Cream Eyeliner - Coffee
famoushair 8/17/2011 5:13:00 AM
I was excited by all the positive reviews of this E.L.F. product. The "Coffee" shade is the first one I've tried, and I am disappointed in its lack of pigmentation. It took several swipes just to get a minimal amount of color to show up on my pale eyelids. I may try another color, but this shade is a "miss" for me.
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Blush -Milani - Baked Blush in Luminoso
famoushair 6/9/2011 8:48:00 PM
After hearing all the positive buzz about this product and seeing it sold out at stores, I finally gave in and purchased it when I saw it at a local drugstore. I even paid full price, which I don't often do with drugstore items above $5 or so. I believe I paid in the range of $8 plus tax for this blush. I do now understand all the positive comments about this product. It is nicely packaged, although the shiny gold casing wouldn't be my ideal - a nice matte black case would show the product more accurately and look a bit more sophisticated as well. The product itself is a "baked" powder, and like most baked powders it does have a distinct shimmer. I tend to shy away from shimmer/glitter because my skin is very shiny and oily, so I don't want to add to that effect by layering more shiny-ness on top. That said, the shimmer in this product is relatively fine and is excusable because of the lovely glow the product imparts on my cheeks. I put it on my cheekbones, a dab on the bridge of my nose, a bit on my forehead and sometimes use it as eyeshadow. I can use a light hand and still get plenty of color. It makes me look flushed and healthy, and helps liven up my generally pale complexion. I would repurchase. If Milani offered this same shade and pigmentation in a matte shade, it could become an HG product for me.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Everyday Minerals - Foundation Original Glo Formula
famoushair 3/24/2011 3:43:00 AM
Got this as part of a "sampler set" of colors and formulas. Application wasn't difficult, though I do prefer pressed formulations to these loose ones that seem to have a higher mess factor. It went on smoothly and looked all right for a couple of hours, and then this "glo" turned to a "no" as my oily skin began to do its thing. Several areas of my face, especially the area between the eyes leading down to the bridge of my nose, were glistening in a very unattractive way that demanded total removal of the product immediately. For an oily-skinned complexion like mine, this formula was just not a good fit - when it mixed with the skin's natural oils, it produced a beastly mega-sheen of epic proportions. I won't be using this formula again.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Deodorants -Unlisted Brand - Certain Dri
famoushair 1/31/2011 5:46:00 PM
I first used this many years ago when I was working retail in the mid '90s and found that I was sweating like crazy during the day - not the best when you're trying to give pleasant customer service! It was so bad some days that I occasionally felt tiny rivulets of perspiration running down my sides. Not to mention that my left armpit seemed to be way more overactive than my right. Altogether: not a fun situation and I was feeling beastly! I found this stuff on a bottom corner shelf at the CVS that was located in that mall. The dull packaging and poor shelf placement certainly didn't seem too promising, but the fact that it cost more than the others made me wonder why they could get away with charging more for it. I was desperate and sweaty, so I took a chance. Wowsers! That day changed my life. This stuff shut off the waterworks! I finally felt empowered after so many years of feeling like a swamp-monster girl. Since then, I've purchased this product numerous times and learned a lot about it through trial and error. Here are some tips I can offer: - ALOE: When you buy the Certain Dri, pick up a tube of pure, unscented Aloe Vera to have on hand just in case. This will be a great help as you adjust to this antiperspirant, it's usually pretty cheap, and it has many other uses as well so it won't be a waste of money. - USAGE: Once a day was OK to start. But once you start to notice it working (pretty quickly), try going to every other day, or every few days. If you use it every day for any extended period of time, you will get the stinging armpit drama. - STINGING ARMPIT DRAMA: If you get the sting, grab that pure, unscented Aloe Vera gel and apply that to your underarms. Let the sting die down for a day or more before even considering applying more Certain Dri. Consider using Certain Dri less frequently as you figure out what works for you. If I apply Certain Dri at night, sometimes I'll apply some aloe in the morning, to be proactive in preventing dryness and stinging. - TUNE IN TO WHAT YOUR BODY TELLS YOU: Many factors affect your sweating, so be kind to your body and adjust your Certain Dri usage to fit your personal needs. Some things that can affect your perspiration include: hot vs. cold weather, the humidity, your monthly cycle, your diet, your age, the materials your shirts are made of (cotton, polyester, blends), stress, physical activity, and on and on. - PACKAGING: This is really one peeve of mine and is the reason I've taken off one lippie in the rating. This roll-on bottle does leak. I apply carefully and always store upright. If you travel with it, put it in a ziploc bag, or it may leak all over your other toiletries. Certain Dri has been around for awhile now, and I can't fathom why they haven't taken the lead from the myriad other companies whose roll-ons are well packaged. Come on, Certain Dri, give us a better roll-on bottle already. All in all, this is an HG product for me, with room for improvement in the packaging department. It does what no other antiperspirant has done for me, and I am so glad I found it.
7 out of 8 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Burt's Bees - Beeswax Lip Balm
famoushair 12/4/2010 3:30:00 AM
This beeswax lip balm is indeed waxy. But not in a good way -- the wax feels a bit hard. If you're looking for a true "wax", then this consistency might be okay for you. But I've found this texture to be a major turn off. I just never wanted to use it, and eventually threw it away. Layering this balm on top of any other lip products would not be easy without ruining whatever you're layering it over. This also isn't fun to apply to lips that are already chapped because of the hardness of the wax. I much prefer some of Burt's Bees other lip products, which tend to be more emollient. Additionally, there are other companies such as Alba that make nice balms and glosses with natural ingredients.
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Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Kabuki Face Brush
famoushair 11/19/2010 12:51:00 AM
Another fantastic product from E.L.F., which is quickly becoming a brand to watch. I enjoy checking in to their website and seeing which new products they develop and comparing them to high-end brands. I truly believe it shouldn't cost an arm and a leg to look good. This kabuki is large and so soft. I use it to apply loose/finishing powder. It's so so soft, and I secretly look forward to brushing it around on my face! I bought it to use with another E.L.F. favorite, the HD Powder. It's a one-two punch, and since I started using this combo this week, I am wearing less and less foundation -- my skin is just glowing and radiant with just the HD Powder. Lovely! Thank you, E.L.F.! Please keep these great products coming.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Jane - Megabites Flavorful lipstick
famoushair 6/10/2010 10:16:00 PM
Oh, I fear my beloved Vanilla Bean has been discontinued. It was the perfect warm dark rose and even smelled yummy. It suited my coloring perfectly, and was perfect for most any occasion. My quest for a dupe continues. Any suggestions, please message me TIA!
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Lipstick -Rimmel - Moisture Renew - Vintage Pink
famoushair 5/11/2010 5:39:00 PM
As some others have said, this color looked promising in the tube but looked purple when I applied it. (I have pale, warm-toned skin.) I tried in vain to make it work by applying lightly and//or heavily, yet it still looked really purple in a very unflattering way. I could not see any qualities that would earn it the name Vintage Pink, at least not on me. I also found the scent to be really very strong and unappealing . It's not a yummy scent like the Lasting Finish's cake/candy smell; it's perfume-y, heavy and really bothered me. I returned it to CVS, and got an extra Airy Fairy Lasting Finish instead. Many good drugstores do take returns since they don't really have testers, so I never hesitate to take back drugstore items that don't work. I won't be buying lipsticks from the Moisture Renew line, as I don't like that wacky scent.
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Lipstick -Rimmel - Lasting Finish - Airy Fairy
famoushair 4/28/2010 12:25:00 AM
Oh, Airy Fairy! I read all the great reviews and thought that perhaps you were overhyped. But I'm glad to say that you are everything they said and more! Ahem...I really like this product. It is my go-to color for this spring and summer. Product: The color is a pinky mauve, not opaque nor sheer. It perks up my pale, slightly warm toned face. It goes on smoothly and is neither too dry feeling nor so slippery that it just wipes away. It's not a long-wearing formula, and those tend to be rather drying anyways. So touch-ups are to be expected. Packaging: Cute meets elegant meets simple. I like the little Rimmel crown logo on the lid; helps distinguish it from the other lipstick tubes when rummaging in my purse. Scent: To my nose, this has a cake/candy scent. It smells like those little multicolored "sprinkles" or "jimmies" or whatever that you put on top of frosting. Me likey. In all, I am very happy with this product and would normally have given it a 5-lippie rating. I took one lippie off because it's very hard to determine whether Rimmel London does animal testing (they were purchased by Coty, a company which seems to still employ animal testing, though the info I found is very vague.) If they are still engaging in animal testing, they need to get with the program and join the ever-growing ranks of companies proud to be cruelty-free, or informed consumers will take their business to companies who have a cruelty-free stance.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Unlisted Brand - Nail Magic
famoushair 4/4/2010 7:39:00 AM
When I first purchased and used Nail Magic, I was pleased. It comes in a cute package and goes on thickly but evenly, with a pink appearance in the bottle but a clear appearance on the nail. I thought this would serve as a nice basecoat and hardener for my relatively wimpy nails. I'm a couple of months into using it and my nails are worse than when I started using the product. After a bit of online research on the product, I realize this stuff is largely formaldehyde and therefore can be drying. I live in a very dry climate, and it's been pretty cold here. The end result: short, chippy nails, made worse by my attempts at filing them into shape, thus causing them to be painfully thin. Application of Nail Magic the last few times caused my nail beds to burn/sting with a fierceness I have no words to describe. My nail beds are way too soft and they ache. Now I'm going to let my nails go "naked," and give them lots of moisture in the hopes that they can recover some of what was lost over the past couple months. So despite all the successes listed here, Nail Magic was way less than magical for me. I'd rather have the wimpy (but relatively healthy) nails I started out with!
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Masks -Unlisted Brand - Aspirin Mask
famoushair 2/4/2010 12:56:00 AM
I really wanted and expected to love this, but after trying it twice, I've found my skin doesn't tolerate it well at all. This is surprising to me, since my skin isn't usually easily irritated. Both times I used my trusty pure aloe vera gel as a mixer. The first time I accidentally dumped too many aspirin in my hand so I ended up using 6 tablets, for just over 15 minutes. As I waited, I found my skin stinging kind of the way it feels when you've gotten a sunburn. When I rinsed it off, I was left with patchy red blotches all over my face. I figured that perhaps I'd used too many aspirin and decided to give it another try at a later date. I just tried it again, this time with just two tablets mixed in. I left it on for only five minutes. I rinsed and found the same weird patches. The areas that aren't red are indeed soft, but it certainly doesn't make up for the weirdness. Looks like my experimentation with aspirin masks will end here. Boo.
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Lipstick -NYX - Honey
famoushair 2/4/2010 12:02:00 AM
I, too, thought this would be a slam-dunk for me after viewing many tutorials and reviews. FYI, I'm very fair with a slight warm undertone, and my lips are moderately pigmented, I guess. When applied to my lips, this color is a little too close to my face color, and not in a good way. Since it has no shimmer, it looks flat and odd, sort of like I mistook concealer for lipstick. The first time I tried it, it also accentuated every dry spot and revealed chapped areas I didn't even realize I had. I spent a day applying various lip balms before I would try it again. This may be OK for me using some of the layering techniques suggested by other MUA reviewers (under/over lipstick or gloss or primer), but I honestly prefer not to work that hard when there's likely another product that will achieve a great look right away. I did try layering it with a sparkly apricot gloss over the top, but the lipstick itself is so moist and supple that it didn't really "layer"; it actually just mixed with the gloss and became one with it. That said, I had high expectations for this one, and I'm stubborn, so I haven't given up on it quite yet. At this time, I would not repurchase. Boo.
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Pressed Powders -Physicians Formula - Mineral Wear Mineral Face Powder
famoushair 9/10/2009 10:33:00 PM
HG mineral makeup for me, and the fact that it's a drugstore brand makes it all the better! Due to my extremely oily skin, I've been doing the mineral makeup thing for about ten years now. Early on, I ordered it online from small indie cosmetic companies like Canary Cosmetics. Over the last ten years, I've tried them all. I strongly prefer a pressed-powder formulation because life is messy enough without all that billowing makeup covering everything. Most recently, I'd been favoring PurMinerals pressed minerals and shelling out the approximately $25 USD plus shipping for it. I noticed this Physicians Formula foundation (and blush) on a sale endcap at Target and figured I could use it as a purse backup. Was I surprised when I found myself favoring the Physicians Formula over the PurMinerals! While both are highly recommended as far as I'm concerned, I find that the PE has a lovely light feel on the face and flattering color for my very fair skin. The blush formulations are also very nice, BTW. I'm so glad I took a chance - love those Target endcap items!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -Avon - MagiX Face Perfector
famoushair 9/7/2008 8:04:00 PM
(Note - Check update at end) Wow! HG city! I'm throwing away all my estee, philosophy, miscellaneous pricier shine control primers that just never did the job. This stuff is incredible for taming my until-now wild-and-woolly-oil-slick-of-a-face. It also gives a really nice glow - not a shiny glow, thank goodness - but a nice healthy aura. I'm going to stockpile this stuff, especially if it's still on sale. The greatest! Update: After several weeks of daily use, I began to notice breakouts on my forehead which were rather stubborn and difficult to get rid of. I now occasionally use this only on my nose and very sparing on the rest of the t-zone. I'm thinking it would also make a nice eyeshadow primer. Too bad about the breakouts, though. No longer an HG item, regrettably. It might be OK for a special occasion, but not for daily use for me. I'm taking two lippies off. Boo.
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Eyes -Ardell - Brow & Lash Growth Accelerator Treatment Gel
famoushair 6/17/2008 4:23:00 AM
I had my doubts, but this stuff does a really nice job. I have noticed that my lashes are longer, and the effect didn't take too long to develop. I have blonde lashes, so any oomph I can add is appreciated. It's kind of fun to apply my mascara now just to see how long my lashes have gotten. Good stuff for a good price.
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