Moisturizers -Kiehls - Clearly Corrective Hydrating Moisture Emulsion
gconn 4/6/2013 3:32:00 PM
INGREDIENTS: Aqua/water, Dipropylene Glycol, Glycerin, Dimethicone, Alcohol Denat, Neopenetyl Glycol Dicaprate, Hydoxypropyl Tetrahydropyrantriol, Propylene Glycol, 3-O-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate, Silica, Cetyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Stearic Acid, Phenoxyethanol, Salicylic Acid, Palmitic Acid, Carbomer, Potassium Hydroxide, 2-Oleamido-1,3-Octadecanediol, Hydoxyethylcellulose, Mica, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Lavandula Angustifolia Oil/Lavender Oil, Sodium Citrate, Xanathan Gum, CI 77891/Titanium Dioxide, Citric Acid, Linalool, Disodium EDTA, Sodium Hyaluronate, Citral, Limonene, Geraniol, Citrus Tachibana/Citrus Aurantium Tachibana Peel Extract, Paeonia Suffruticosa Extract/Paeonia Suffruticosa Fmla 685530/5 Code F.I.L. D49467/1 PACKAGING: 1.7oz in an opaque, seemingly lightproof, plastic pump bottle. I think this is probably the best possible packaging for a moisturizer with vitamin C - no complaints here! PRODUCT: Product absorbs quickly and feels weightless on the skin, but leaves behind visible flecks of mica. Kiehl's says this is supposed to give the illusion of brighter skin, but I would rather do without it. Unless this product ends up having amazing effects (review pending update after several weeks of use), I won't be repurchasing.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Shiseido - The Skincare - Day Protective Moisturizer SPF 15
gconn 8/7/2012 1:36:00 PM
Decent basic moisturizer; keeps my skin hydrated throughout the day and doesn't seem to cause any breakouts after two months of use. I apply after the alcohol-free softener in the same line, and it seems to absorb well enough. I wouldn't trust the SPF for more than walking to and from your car, though. This is probably not for anyone with oily skin, or who wants to look matte all day. A lot of other reviewers have commented that it leaves a greasy film on their face, and yes, it's true. It feels similar to how some primers and suncreens dry down. I actually happen to like the film because it makes my foundations look better (no dry cakey look), which is why I purchased this moisturizer in the first place. I don't like a lot of liquid foundations because they look powdery and dry, but wearing them over this moisturizer makes them luminous and glowy. Go figure. Great packing - sanitary pump, and opaque container so light-sensitive ingredients don't break down before you apply. One full pump is enough for your face, neck, and chest, but the pump isn't "sticky" like some others, so you can easily dispense 1/2 pump or whatever amount you want. For the fragrance-sensitive, this has the usual Shiseido fragrance, which dissipates shortly after application.
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Mascara -Laura Mercier - Waterproof
gconn 6/3/2012 12:37:00 AM
Summary - reasonably-priced HE mascara, good for everyday wear, holds a killer curl. I'm surprised it doesn't get that much love! BRUSH - The head of this brush looks like a smaller version of the Diorshow/Badgal style brushes. It's very easy to handle. FORMULA - A little drier than usual, no clumping problems. I didn't need to comb through after applying. Not crunchy, no flaking. This is a one-coater - I think if you use any more than one coat, it can get really bad really quickly. COLOR - I have black lashes, so this usually isn't an issue for me, but the color seems very dark. Sorry I can't provide more information here! EFFECT - Fans out the lashes, gives volume and length, but nothing dramatic. Wonderful for everyday wear. CURL - OH MY GAWWWWSH. This is where this mascara shines! The first day I tried this, I didn't curl thoroughly (didn't hold the curler down for a whole 6 seconds...more like half a second) because my lashes usually drop anyway, but they didn't drop a single bit when I applied, and they were just as perky 10 hours later. Would repurchase again and again just for this effect! WATERPROOFNESS - I'm not going to go swimming in this stuff, but it was rainy today, and I didn't have any issues with running or smudging. I did get one big drop of water (ewwww!) on my eyelid, so it's done pretty well. I had minor, unnoticeable transfer throughout the day, but nothing out of the ordinary. Good for teary eyes, but I don't know about "real" water. REMOVAL - A piece of cake with oil-cleanser. I can't speak for other methods of removal though. I notice some people are complaining about how tough it is to remove, and just wanted to put it out there that if you're having trouble removing any makeup at all, oil cleanser is godsend! PRICE - $20 for the tube. I think this is WAY better than the buxom lash @ $19/tube, so it's worth it for me. And it's not as bad as other HE mascaras. If you have a DS one that is working for you, I'd stay with it though!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Body -LUSH - T For Toes
gconn 5/24/2012 3:34:00 PM
Horrendous. My feet are naturally odorless, but they do sweat a little. This ruined a pair of flats I tried to use it with - it made them reek, and the reek transfers to my feet and is hard to wash off. And yes, it's just the one pair of shoes I used it with. I'm fairly certain that the cornstarch in this product is turning into food for odor-producing bacteria. Packaging makes it hard to shake into shoes, and isn't portable. It smells and feels nice enough, though.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Wet 'n' Wild - I Love Matte Palette
gconn 4/30/2012 2:51:00 PM
This palette is nothing short of awesome, especially for the $5 price tag! I have used the whole gamut of makeup from ELF to high-end, and this palette is astounding for the price! If you see one in stores, don't hesitate in picking it up. It's a 4-star review (bumped up from a 3.5) here, but I'd give it a solid 5 if I factored in the price. Colors are extremely pigmented. I did a full look and barely disturbed the imprints. The powder isn't exactly silky, but it's very usable. I had a little trouble blending when applied over primer, especially with the blue and purple shades, but it's a common problem with mattes, and nothing a little extra elbow grease didn't solve. I did have to pack some of the colors on, which produced a lot of fallout, so I'd definitely do any bright looks before foundation. There was no creasing with MAC paint pot or NYX primer as a base. I'd say these are as good as MAC's better mattes. Colors are: true white, bright emerald green, sky blue, royal purple. On the other side, light cream, peach, medium brown and black. I wouldn't use them as directed, though, since it's a little OTT.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Le Metier de Beaute - Precision Liquid Eyeliner in Noir
gconn 4/18/2012 5:50:00 PM
$42 for an eyeliner is RIDICULOUS, but yeah, I'd buy this again and again. And again. Why? Because it's THAT good. If you're happy in love with your current liner, don't come near this one, because if you get hooked...it's an expensive habit. This liner has a slightly shorter, much thinner barrel than what you usually see from a liquid liner - and for some reason, that really helps with application. The firm tip also contributes to this - the base of the marker is quite wide, but tip is extremely fine, which prevents unwanted "wiggling" while still allowing for a very precise line. This pen is so precise that I can use it to tightline in between lashes - in fact, it's fantastic for that purpose. The color itself isn't ultraslick or ultradark black - it's just a very wearable, day-to-day black that you can build to be darker if desired. The ink flows very smoothly, with no dragging, patchiness, or inksplosions. I've never had it skip on my eyelid. Wear time is equally splendid. I have sensitive eyes that tend to water (by the way, no horrid stinging when I used this on my waterline), and this lasted me all day with no smudging. When I swatched it on my hand, I still saw traces of it 36 hours later, and that was AFTER I showered. You'll need to use MU remover or oil cleanser to get this stuff off completely. I've always had just a little trouble getting the perfect winged liner, but now I've found my HG product which makes it extremely easy for me to create the subtle, sharp line I've always wanted. Thank goodness it's not an everyday look for me, because I'm not sure I could sustain buying this quite so often. My wallet is weeping, but my lashes are rejoicing.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -Le Metier de Beaute - Creme Fresh Tint in Poppy
gconn 4/18/2012 11:27:00 AM
I really love what LMdB did with the formula on these! They're absolutely lovely. They give a youthful sheen to the cheeks and wear very well, always taking me through the work day without a problem. No sliding to speak of. They are quite comfortable and weightless on the lips, though because Poppy is a lighter color, I do get some settling in the lip lines and it emphasizes any dryness. The creme fresh tints are definitely VERY creamy, as other reviews have mentioned, and nicely blendable. I've tried it with both fingers and a synthetic foundation brush, and had no problem with either method. I love that it doesn't "set" too quickly, like some other cream blushes, and look patchy on the cheeks. Colorwise, Poppy is not nearly as bright or intense as it looks in the pot. Once you break the surface, you'll notice that the cream is NOT bright coral, but rather a light pinky-coral. On the cheeks, this translates to a subtle flush (I'm NC20ish right now) that should be very flattering for both cool and warm undertones because of the coral tint. On my lips, it's a different story. It definitely mutes the color of my lips, and turns into a light, cool pink. Not quite the most flattering shade on me, but I'm sure other ladies will love it. Price wise, it's not the worst, but it is a money-sucker esp. since I always go through cream blushes faster than powder ones. This will set you back $28 USD for .17 oz, compared to Bobbi Brown's Pot Rouge, which is $24 USD for .13 oz.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Jo Malone - Iris & Lady Moore
gconn 4/11/2012 11:07:00 AM
From Jo Malone: A mingling between spicy-fresh, common-or-garden geranium and noble iris, powdery and poised. Brought together on dry-grass base of vetiver. The description is pretty spot-on. It's not incredibly unique, but like other Jo Malones, it's very wearable and "classic" but with a slight twist. It's very fresh on paper, but turns into a creamy, slightly spicy floral on my skin. The vetiver is there, but it's very subtle and I do find myself wanting more on most days. I'm not usually a fan of florals, but this is very easy to wear, and layers well with my other Jo Malone colognes, which is nice for when I find the floral too heavy. Unfortunately, I almost always do, so the extra effort is proving tedious. AMAZING lasting power - at least on me. I can still detect a hint of it next morning. Most scents disappear on me after 9 hours, but this one lasts and lasts. I'm loving this bottle! It's regular Jo Malone bottle with a lovely, evocatively British floral print on the front. It stands out next to my other bottles :) I wouldn't buy this again is because it only comes in 100mL, and I doubt I'll use it up in my lifetime, and while it's very nice, it's not a go-to scent.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -NARS - Madrague Duo
gconn 3/28/2012 10:30:00 AM
I purchased this a year and a half ago and just hit pan on the lighter shade. It's an everyday staple for me. Texture for the lighter shade (matte cream) is amazing - it's powders up very easily, and goes on incredibly smooth. It's actually very pigmented, though it's hard to tell because it's so close to skin tone. I use this as a base shade to even out my eyelids (NC20) and also use it underneath my lower lashes to prevent eyeliner and mascara smudges and brighten the eyes. I've used this in a pinch in place of concealer. The darker shade (matte caramel) isn't as soft, but still very smooth and blendable. A very subtle contour for the eyes, and also works as a base shade. You can layer this underneath a different color of shadow to create an near-invisible contour. I'm currently trying to find a suitable cheaper replacement for this duo, but haven't been able to find a pair with the right textures and shades in one convenient package. Everything I've tried is either shimmery (the matte nature of these shadows is what makes them so versatile), chalky, too warm, too cool, too dark or light, or packaged with a bigger palette. Will probably repurchase, unless there's something more affordable out there.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -NARS - Botan Brush
gconn 3/25/2012 10:59:00 AM
I LOVES IT. Totally didn't want to give it a 5-star review because it is so pricey, but it makes my life so much easier. The first wash, it shed a million (okay, realistically speaking, probably more like 70) little hairs, and bled a lot. I had to shampoo it about five times for it to stop bleeding. Takes about 24 hours to dry, if you dry it upside down. Check my profile for a picture of how to do this. Basically, owning this brush means that you can use cheap brushes and have poor application skills for almost all of your face makeup, and nobody will be the wiser. This airbrushes your entire face and blends all your makeup out seamlessly. It's not rough at all, but it doesn't feel baby soft (use a light hand, that's all you need). I can buff in my makeup after every step (foundation, powder, blush/bronzer, etc) and all of it will look seamless. I never put any product directly on the brush, and only use it to buff out already-applied products. If you're more skilled at regular application, you won't need this, but it'll make it much easier and quicker. Yes, it's on the expensive side, but it's MUCH cheaper on ACW. Definitely worth the ACW price, if not the retail price.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Maybelline - Dream Lumi Touch
gconn 3/22/2012 11:24:00 PM
If you like clicky pen concealers, go out and get this NOW. THE SHORT: Hides undereye circles, no creasing, no caking, blends seamlessly, precise dispenser, half the price per ounce of other HE pens. The only disadvantage is that it doesn't come in a shiny gold package. Bummer, because for the performance, I could care less. THE LONG: I have been using the Clarins version of this product for a while now, and it's good, but rather expensive. This little sucker is BETTER, and less than half the price per ounce. The formula is less illuminating than some others, but it covers just as well, if not better. I prefer less shine in this sort of concealer, as to avoid the "disco ball eye bag" look. The applicator is also better - it takes more clicks to dispense the same amount of product, which means it's more precise. I'm around NC20 right now and use the pink color, Radiant, for my undereye darkness. The best part? No caking and no creasing. It goes on so easily, and with just a couple pats, it's completely invisible. I have some milia under my eyes, and EVERYTHIING cakes on them - this pen is basically my HG concealer, and I almost never like drugstore items enough to keep repurchasing.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyes -MAC - Paint Pot in Bare Study
gconn 3/19/2012 4:16:00 PM
A good basic cream shadow/primer product. Applied sparingly, it provides a refined shimmer on the lids, but if you're not careful, it'll end up looking like Tinkerbell sneezed on your eyeball. There is a LOT in the pot, and a little goes a long way. The only reason I wouldn't buy this again is that I'll probably be bored of the product once I finish it in...say...five years.
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Mascara -Urban Decay - Supercurl Curling Mascara
gconn 3/19/2012 4:14:00 PM
At first application, this looked okay. Some length, some volume. I waited for it to dry, and the curling power was evident, but instead of curling my lashes upward, it curled them sideways, tangling them into eachother in a mascara-induced lash jungle. I combed them out and hoped they'd last the day. Well, they did last the day. No smudges or running, which is surprising because my eyes were watering all day. Why were they running? Well. This mascara irritated the DICKENS out of my eyes. I don't know if pieces broke off or what, because I couldn't see any, but both were sore and stingy. Needless to say, straight to the trash. The effects are okay and the lasting power is good, but this is NOT for sensitive eyes.
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Skincare - Body -Unlisted Brand - Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera Gel
gconn 3/19/2012 2:58:00 PM
Awesome multipurpose product, GREAT price. How can you use it? 1. Skin soother for sunburns or other rashes, burns, and bug bites. This is a well-known use, and actually feels really nice on the skin. 2. Post-wax healer. I use it after brow and bikini waxes - it made the area around my brows stop being red almost instantaneously. Highly recommend. 3. Facial/body moisturizer - it doesn't do much for intensive moisture, and feels a little tacky at first, but it's a nice quick fix. 4, Makeup primer - I'm sort of iffy about this use. If you put a really think layer on, it dries to the slightly tacky satin finish you get from many makeup primers, but since it's a gel, it can ball up when you apply your makeup or rub your face. I use it sometimes on my forehead for oil control. 5. Shaving gel - works much better than soap. I love the price point on this stuff, and would definitely repurchase for the sheer utility of it, especially for its soothing properties.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Masks -LUSH - Catastrophe Cosmetic
gconn 3/13/2012 4:59:00 PM
This is my favorite Lush face mask ever. I bought Cupcake when they were out of this one, and it just wasn't the same. Description: - Blue and gritty, sort of like blueberry ice cream. Clay base. - Smells...vaguely perfumed. Very pleasant, and not too overbearing. - Comes in the same Lush tub as all the others - save these for a free mask with every 5 empty tubs! - Needs to be used by about 3 weeks. If you can't use it up that quickly, divide and freeze a couple spoonfuls on a plate, pop 'em off when they're frozen, and put them in a ziplock baggie. You can defrost them when you're ready to use them later by letting one sit at room temp for a few minutes. What it does: - Brightens, tightens skin - Reduces redness - Soothes blemishes and inflammation - SUCKS UP all the oil in your face I always need to moisturize after this, but more oily gals (and guys) may not. This is a real 'feel and look good' mask, and the effects last maybe 12-24 hours. I love to use it on a regular basis, but it would also many a great special occasion mask to give your skin an extra boost.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No