Powder -Unlisted Brand - Buff'd Cosmetics - Original Mineral Foundation
francinemay 8/31/2011 1:16:00 AM
I've been using this foundation for a couple years now. I tried maybe 5 other mineral makeups (alima, lumiere, etc) which were all nice, but I still felt the need to search for something better, and then I found Buff'd! The original formula really is quite buildable, and even with a sheer layer I feel like it does a nice job of evening out my skintone. I use a lumiere talkon brush that was a knock-off of the flawless face brush. It has soft floppy bristles which I find gives a nice sheer coverage. Something soft like a duo fibre would work as well. If I use a kabuki or flat top it gives a lot more coverage, which I find I don't really need. I will say that it was hard to find a colour match, but they do have a tonne of shades and will custom blend them too.
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Blush -Tarte - Amazonian 12-Hour Clay Blush In Flush
francinemay 8/31/2011 1:03:00 AM
I was suckered in by the 12-hour claim and rave reviews for these blushes, since I always find that blush does not last that long for me - only a few hours. I was hoping it would last longer than my other blushes (Nars, Mac, Cargo, etc.), but really it's about the same. It's not a bad blush, I would probably give it four except that I only bought it thinking it would last long and it let me down! I really don't need any more blush! On the plus side, it is quite an intense pigment, I use a duo fibre brush (187) and lightly sweep, then tap off, and it's still pretty crazy. Would probably be too crazy except it fades before I even leave the house ;) It's a nice pinky mauvey colour. I have pale skin and black hair and it works for me.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Too Faced - Retractable Kabuki Brush
francinemay 8/18/2007 10:51:00 PM
This is a GREAT retractable brush. For some reason most retractable brushes out there seem to be worse quality than regular brushes, but the bristles on this one are sooooo soft. It is even softer than my Lumiere kabuki, which I didn't think was possible. it's not quite as dense as the Lumiere, so it's a little floppier, not that it's floppy. I use it for applying mineral makeup. you can also slide the metal sleeve up incrementally, and turn it into a really dense, short bristled brush for heavier coverage. The container is really great - perfect for traveling which is why I initially purchased it, but now I find myself using it in my every-day routine. Hasn't shed a single hair so far. And at $33.50 CDN, it's reasonably priced.
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Misc Beauty Tools -Aveda - Shammy Cloth
francinemay 7/20/2007 12:47:00 AM
This is the best product that I have ever discovered thanks to MUA. Like everyone else has said, this dries to a crisp super fast, but when you wet it, it turns back into a soft shammy. It's great for removing makeup, it is much nicer than using a cotton pad (no more fuzzy cotton residue), and everything - waterproof mascara, eyeliner, lipstick - will wash right out of it. I've had it for about a month and there are no stains in sight. I use it for the oil cleansing method, and it's so much nicer than using regular facecloths, which just get sopping wet then take forever to dry and start to smell so fast. I also use it in place of a cotton pad for toner. I really love that it's reusable. I think this is just being a bit paranoid, but I've read that because most of those cotton pads aren't organic, they are filled with pesticides and bleaching agents that can transfer to your skin. And the organic cotton pads are super expensive. I almost didn't buy this, because I live in Canada, and I discovered when I got to the Aveda store that it is $20.50 here!!! That is insane, especially since it's only $9 in the states and our dollar is almost identical right now. But I bought it anyway (sales pressure!) but am glad I did. I think in the long run it will save me money. So for all you Canadians, try to get this one from the states if you can! ***UPDATE*** It's been a long time since I wrote this review. This shammy did start to get really crusty and break down after maybe 6 months. I don't think it was worth the money. I replaced it with a thin bamboo face cloth that was maybe $2, and I still have it 5 years later. The bamboo facecloth doesn't dry nearly as fast, but it still dries completely between washes, and I prefer the texture to the sort of rubbery squeaky feeling I would get from this shammy.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Clinique - All About Eyes Rich
francinemay 6/24/2007 6:52:00 PM
LOVE this stuff. If you have dry skin around your eyes, then I would highly recommend this. I was having major problems with dry flakey skin in my eye area for months. I tried 3 or 4 different eye creams before this one, and some of them helped relieve the dryness right after I put them on, but the flakes would always come back. After trying this eye cream ONCE, the flakes went away, and have not been back since! It's kind of pricey ($37 CDN), but I've used this cream morning and night for 6 months, and am just running out now. This will be the first eye cream I've ever bought that I will repurchase. I would now classify the skin around my eyes normal, rather than dry. It hasn't really done anything for the fine lines. Maybe it reduces their appearance by plumping up the skin a bit, but they aren't going anywhere any time soon. I would say this is more of a moisturizer than a treatment. I know some people say you can just use regular moisturizer around your eyes, but I have sensitive eyes and that never worked for me. This eye cream, however, has never caused any sort of irritation at all.
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Makeup Brushes -Pur Minerals - Chisel Brush
francinemay 6/24/2007 6:32:00 PM
I received this brush in the starter kit and am so glad that I did not pay full price for it. The bristles are totally uneven, and they are also incredibly scratchy. It shed quite a bit when I first got it, but not so much any more. The shape is nice to use with pressed powder, but don't use it because I'm worried I'm going to scratch my face!
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Toners -Vichy - Normaderm Purifying Astringent Toner
francinemay 6/22/2007 8:56:00 PM
I really like using this toner. It has both glycolic and salicylic acid in it, and I find it's refreshing and helps clear away those dull skin cells. It has alcohol in it, but I actually feel like it makes my skin less dry. Maybe it's the glycerin? Or the castor oil, which apparently is a humectant and non-comedegenic. I have combo skin with hormonal pimples, and find this helps with the black heads and white heads. The fragrance is kind of strong, but it fades almost immediately. Ingredients: Water, Alcohol Denat, Glycerin, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Glycolic Acid, Triethanolamine, Salicylic Acid, Fragrance.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No