Lipstick -MAC - Party Line-Cremesheen
fionahz 5/7/2013 2:22:00 AM
I absolutely love the colour of Party Line and I like the moisturising feel but unfortunately it bleeds horribly! I end up looking like a little kid who has eaten a red icy pole. It's not that nice stained lip look. It's a berry stain AROUND my lips. Not a good look. I'm still trying to find the primer/powder/whatever that will anchor Party Line to my lips and only my lips because I really want to keep wearing this lovely red but I don't wear it as much as I would if it didn't bleed. As such, I don't know if I'll ever actually finish this tube, let alone buy another. :(
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Loose Powders -Everyday Minerals - Finishing Dust
fionahz 4/23/2013 12:59:00 AM
I love this stuff! I'm on my 5th or 6th jar. I brush a very light dusting of FD over my liquid foundation in the morning and my skin stays oil-free until late in the afternoon. My skin is very reactive to cosmetics - I will break out in horrible cystic pimples at the mere mention of an irritant but FD has never caused me any reaction. It looks soft and natural and doesn't change the colour of my foundation at all. It's brilliant stuff and I hope they never discontinue it or change the formula.
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Eye Shadow -Fyrinnae - Witchy Woodland Creatures
fionahz 3/24/2013 1:36:00 AM
The Fyrinnae website describes this eyeshadow as "Glimmering, multi-faceted cocoa taupe. Shades of copper and silver, with hints of pink, gold, and green shimmer on a neutral taupe-brown base", with which I slightly disagree. To me it's a gold-based shimmery neutral. I don't see any of the cocoa or pink to which they refer. But, this has now become my favourite eye colour. I find myself reaching for it every day. It is incredibly flattering for my medium, warm complexion and hazel eyes and I can wear it with a brown or olive liner and it complements brown, bronze or green/olive shadows. It looks great as a wash with mascara, or worn heavier over Pixie Epoxy with a dramatic black liner. I sometimes pair it with MAC's Tempted in the crease and under my eye for a more dramatic gold/bronze look. It also looks brilliant paired with MAC Sumptuous Olive or Stila Golightly. I can apply it with a wet brush as a more subtle liner and it looks great foiled. The other bonus with this shadow and Fyrinnae shadows generally, is that for a loose foundation the fallout is minimal. I'm glad Fyrinnae doesn't discontinue colours because this one is a staple.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lotions/ Creams -Crabtree & Evelyn - Jojoba Oil mositurizing body lotion
fionahz 2/28/2013 9:14:00 PM
This body lotion is very expensive but I'll buy it again because I like the product. I absolutely love the clean smell and this lotion, while a bit thin, moisturises well without making me feel sticky and oily which is something I hate in other lotions.
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Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - Skinstitut - Glycolic Cleanser 12%
fionahz 2/28/2013 9:08:00 PM
Some background on my skin issues: - I have had issues with product-induced acne for years. The number of moisturisers, cleansers and sunscreens I've tried an rejected due to them causing breakouts would run into the hundreds. My skin is between normal and dry. I use Tretinoin cream at night to ward off pimples and to fight off fine lines. I use Cetaphil moisturising cream during the day and I had been using QV Gentle Wash as a cleanser as this combination seemed to be the only one that didn't make me break out. My skin has seemed dull and felt slightly rough, with enlarged pores and congestion but as practically every new product I tried made me break out, I was resigned to having to live with my skin like this. Then I received a sample of the Skinstitut Glycolic Cleanser 12%. I had enough for two uses and after these two uses I bought a full size 200ml tube because the effect on my skin after just two uses was so good. I use it in the morning. I massage it into my face and let it sit for between 30 and 60 seconds. I've been using this cleanser now for three weeks and it continues to work for me. My skin is smoother, my pores have shrunk noticeably and I actually have a glow. Old acne scars are less noticeable and my skin tone is more even. I've had no irritation or breakouts at all. The tube is huge and you only need a pea-sized amount, so at AU$31.50 I think it's an economical buy, but even if it cost twice that amount I think I'd buy it just because it has had such a good effect on my extremely fussy skin.
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Mascara -Christian Dior - Diorshow Black Out Mascara
fionahz 8/9/2012 10:20:00 PM
Clumpy, Clumpy, Clumpy! The Dior SA told me this wouldn't clump, in response to a direct question from me, but from the very first use this was gluggy and gave me big clumps on my lashes. I look like an old lady drag queen. Horrible, even if I wipe the brush multiple times on the edge of the tube I still get way too much on my lashes. It sticks them together into clumpy spider legs. I'm going back to my favourite MAC Zoom Lash, or even Maybelline Full 'n' Soft. Both of those are much, much better than the Diorshow.
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Styling Products -Unlisted Brand - Marc Daniels Rapid Curl
fionahz 9/8/2011 10:41:00 PM
I have very thick, coarse, curly/wavy hair that is just above bra-strap length. I have serious problems with frizz if there is any humidity in the air, so I am always looking for a product that will define my waves and curls without making it crunchy, and that also hinders the frizz. Marc Daniels (md) Rapid Curl is probably as close to the perfect product as I've found so far. It's a gel creme in a fat little tube, which is easy to handle and open with wet hands (unlike so many others). My routine is to wash and condition my hair, squeeze out the excess water, then run a generous blob of the Rapid Curl through my hair while bent forward at the waist. I then shake my head madly from side to side like a wet dog to get even more water out, then I leave it to air dry. When it is totally dry, I scrunch the very slight crunch out with my hands. With this routine I get very soft, defined, frizz-free curls and next day it just needs a spray of water and some quick scrunching to get back into shape. I've probably bought about 20 tubes of this stuff and am always worried that it will be discontinued, because it really is fabulous for my hair. And, as a bonus, this stuff is under $10. Bargain!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Almay - line smoothing concealer
fionahz 9/3/2011 11:19:00 PM
I'm on my second tube of this. It's the only under-eye concealer I've found that doesn't collect in the creases around my eyes or look obvious. It blends beautifully, covers dark shadows without looking like I'm trying to cover dark shadows and the light/medium shade matches my skin perfectly. I have slightly oily eyelids and this does not collect in the crease like a lot of concealers do. Great stuff and cheap too. What more could you want?
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Styling Products -John Frieda - 3-day Straight Semi-Permanent Styling Spray
fionahz 9/1/2011 9:19:00 PM
This review is based on using this product twice, so I have no idea what it would be like long term. Some background: - I have lots of very thick/coarse wavy curly hair that is very dry and frizzes at the mention of the word humidity. I can blow dry and flat iron it and it looks good but many times I've walked out of the house with perfect hair and arrived at work with a frizzy half straight, half curly mess. Not even hairspray stops my hair kinking if there is any moisture in the air. I only wash my hair every 4th day because it's so dry that it doesn't need it any more frequently. Usually I wear my hair curly because it's so much work to get it straight and keep it straight. But occasionally I want to look a bit different and straighten it. I saw the 3-day Straight in Priceline and was intrigued. I've considered getting a keratin treatment at the salon, but haven't done it yet, so I thought that 3-day Straight might be a way to try the effect. I washed my hair as usual and didn't use any leave-ins or other styling products as I would normally do before blowdrying and ironing, so I could really test this. I used 15 sprays the first time and 17 the second (my hair is almost to bra-strap length when straight) and I've had none of the stickiness or heaviness that other reviewers report. Maybe it's because my hair is so thick and coarse that it can take a lot more product before it rebels. It may have been my imagination but blowdrying seemed to be easier and faster than usual, but the magic effect came when I used the flat iron after blowdrying. Not even in the salon have I had such silky, glossy GORGEOUS hair! I couldn't stop touching it, it felt so fabulous. I did it for the second time last night and just needed to touch it up a tiny bit with the brush and blowdryer this morning to get perfect hair again. The first time I did it it lasted for the full 4 days until I washed it again. Didn't look oily at all and looked sleek right to the end. If this stuff keeps working like this I'm going to keep buying it. It's biggest test will be how it holds up to Sydney in February, when the humidity is disgusting.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Clinique - Long Last - Merlot
fionahz 8/15/2011 11:00:00 PM
I've been searching for the perfect every day red lipstick for ages and not had much success. Most red lipsticks are RED (loud and aggressive) or a weird fuschia. I wanted a muted wine-tinged red that I could wear every day that didn't make me look over made up. I thought that Merlot would be that red and it is pretty much the colour I wanted, but it has zero staying power. I have to reapply this every hour and it doesn't even stand up to a drink of water, let alone any food. So, for that reason I will use up the tube, but I wouldn't buy this again.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair Color -Clairol - Nice 'n Easy in 108 Natural Golden Auburn
fionahz 6/13/2011 10:47:00 PM
Nice 'n Easy is probably the easiest home hair colour I've ever tried, and I've tried a few. I mix it in a bowl and apply it with a hair colour brush, rather than from the applicator bottle, so I can't comment on the applicator. The colour (a soft copper) is true to the box illustration and amazingly for a red, is pretty fade-resistant. It is also multi-tonal so it gives subtle highlights and isn't just one flat colour. It covers my few grey hairs well, although they do seem to grow out much faster than the other hairs. I prefer to have my hair coloured at the hairdresser, but for those times when I just can't get there, this is a good alternative.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Patina (Frost)
fionahz 4/1/2011 1:05:00 AM
On my medium/fair warm-toned skin Patina looks gorgeous. I pair it with Tempting in the crease for a lovely gold neutral look that's perfect for work. I really like the finish too. You get quite a good colour pay off.
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Lip Liners -Bourjois - Bourjois Enjelouse Lip Pencil
fionahz 2/13/2011 9:33:00 PM
I second the earlier review on this lipliner. It's a very similar shade to my lips, but with just a little more oomph. It's the colour my lips are when I've just stepped out of the shower and they are all pink and plumped up. It's perfect with a clear gloss on top for a natural look, and also goes well with a pink, berry or nude gloss for different looks. Enjoleuse is perfect for people who want a nude lip that isn't orange, brown or beige.
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Lipstick -Bobbi Brown - Lip Sheer -- Rosy
fionahz 2/3/2011 11:21:00 PM
Why oh why did BB discontinue this? This is my perfect lipstick. Perfect colour (MLBB) and perfect texture (creamy, slightly glossy, almost sheer) for me and just when I discover it and wonder where it's been all my life, but BB discontinues it! WAAAHHH! I was quick enough to snap up a few of these lovelies on eBay but they will run out eventually and then I will be very sad. :( Vale Rosy, I do love you.
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Fragrances -Unlisted Brand - Galimard - Canaica
fionahz 12/15/2010 12:31:00 AM
This is my everyday perfume. It's a beautiful, slightly oriental, slightly floral, slightly woody scent that isn't cloying, heavy or too sweet. My parents gave me a sample bottle of Canaica from the perfume house in Grasse, France and I fell in love. It's impossible to buy over the counter where I am, so I bought it direct from Galimard online. Prices were comparable to a mid-range decent perfume and shipping time was reasonable. According to the Galimard website "Canaica is a sweet oriental fragrance. Top notes: lilac, caramel, and ylang-ylang. Notes: raspberry, jasmine and tuberose. Base: amber and vanilla. " I own many different perfumes, but Canaica is the one I wear most often. Love it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No