Palettes -Cargo - Holiday Nights Collection
genabobena 11/8/2008 12:07:00 AM
I hate giving bad reviews (esp since I like Cargo a lot) but this palette was rather bad. The e/s were so chalky, they are almost impossible to blend, the color payoff is lacking & there was a lot of glitter fallout. The blush was horrible, like I crushed up Pepto tablets & tried to use the powder (chalky & the color didn't show @ all, and I applied a LOT). I didn't use the e/l but I tried using the Face & Body sparkle on my lid & it burned so bad my eyes started watering. The only redeeming factors were the cute packaging & it's very affordable price...but I guess it just goes to show, you get what you pay for :/ [Continue for pic]
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Make Up For Ever - HD High Definition Foundation
genabobena 9/24/2008 8:05:00 PM
[For reference, I'm NC 35-40, HD 155] After using this foundation for almost 2 months, I think it's safe to say this is now my HG! I have the epitome of combination skin (not only am I oily & acne-prone, but I'm on RAM which has caused severe redness, dryness, & flaky patches). This is wonderful; I love that it's medium to full coverage & masks my flaws but it is not heavy, thick or cakey whatsoever. I also love that it's not matte. Even though I can be oily, I don't like the completely matte finishes of most medium/full coverage foundations. And the best news, even though I'm acne prone, this hasn't caused any new breakouts! I also like to packaging, I do prefer my foundations w/a pump since it's more hygenic, the product lasts longer b/c it's not exposed to air & bacteria, & I find I waste less product (just 2 pumps covers my entire face). I will definitely buy this again!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Tarte - Eye Couture Day-To-Night Eye Palette
genabobena 8/28/2008 11:06:00 PM
As soon as I saw this on the Sephora's website, I knew I had to have it. I didn't own any Tarte e/s before so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. The e/s are all soft & smooth. They're very pigmented, blend easily, & last all day w/o creasing. Not to mention, the palette is a steal. [continue for pics & swatches]
Adorable packaging w/locket & key
Helpful how-to cards w/diagrams
All swatched
Close up of "bronze family" swatches
Close up of "charcoal family" swatches
42 out of 42 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -LORAC - Multi-Platinum
genabobena 7/31/2008 5:33:00 PM
Hm, IDK if I love this Lorac palette like the Best Dressed palette but it is still a very nice palette.
Pros
1. The packaging is cute (gray & silver snake skin)
2. Most of the e/s are very soft & go on silky smooth. My favorites from the palette are Serenity, Heavy Metal (which looks a lot like the new MAC starflash Smoke & Diamond e/s), Sapphire Storm & Dreamy.
3. The blush is very pretty (peachy w/gold shimmer, I have no idea why they call this a "cool" blush)
4. The palette is a great deal. The e/s are 0.05oz ea (reg Lorac e/s pots are 0.06oz) so they're almost full size & the blush is 0.12oz (reg Lorac blush pots are 0.09oz) so it's actually more product than you'd get in a regular pot
Cons
1. Rockstar is chalky
2. The silver glitter in Techno is chunky, the fallout was pretty bad & it was impossible to get off.
Overall, it's a very good palette w/a wide range of colors, it's a great value & the pros far outweigh the cons so I wouldn't hesitate to repurchase.
[Continue for pics & swatches]
19 out of 20 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bronzers -Too Faced - The Bronzed & the Beautiful Bronzing Powder
genabobena 7/28/2008 10:40:00 PM
I love this palette. Although it looks small, Snow Bunny & Sun Bunny are nicely sized (exact size of a MAC blush pan); Pink Leopard is a little bit smaller (a smidge larger than a Stila pan). Plus the flatbuki is sooo soft & great quality, just like the retractable kabuki. [Continue for Pics & Swatches]
9 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Naughty Nauticals - Port Red [DISCONTINUED]
genabobena 5/8/2008 5:42:00 PM
I have never experimented w/MAC before b/c the closest store is an hr away. Today I had the chance to visit the store & I asked the MUA to help me find the perfect red lip since I've never been able to find one that matched my skintone. Well she put this on along w/Venetian lustreglass, I took a look in the mirror & I fell in love! I finally understand the greatness that is MAC AND the power of a great red lipstick...now my life is complete :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -LORAC - Starry Eyed Baked Trio in Starlet
genabobena 5/3/2008 11:51:00 PM
This gorgeous purple trio was everything I wanted LM Wild Violet quad to be- pigmented, shimmery, & long lasting. The colors are beautiful;They compliment ea other perfectly & really make my brown eyes pop. And like all Lorac e/s, they go on silky smooth, blend easily, & stay on 12+hrs.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
CD/Books/Movies -Sephora - Sephora: The Ultimate Guide to Makeup, Skin, and Hair
genabobena 4/27/2008 9:54:00 PM
When I first saw this book was coming out I was ecstatic. I am a novice when it comes to applying makeup, so I thought it would be a great how-to book. Unfortunately there was probably less than 20 pages of actual makeup tips. The rest was filled w/unnecessary chatter from makeup company execs a/b what beauty means to them, their favorite products, what a day is like in their life, etc. etc. I was so disappointed, the book definitely did not live up to the hype :/
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Dejavu (Imju) - Fiberwig Lash Knockout
genabobena 4/26/2008 6:32:00 PM
Definitely does not live up to the hype. One coat & my lashes had lost all the curl from my eyelash curler & were sticking together like spider legs. The only pro was that it made my lashes look glossy.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Stila - Stila Kitten Palette Summer 08
genabobena 4/26/2008 6:29:00 PM
Another Stila palette that I have fallen in love with! The colors are beautiful & have the perfect amount of shimmer (perfect for day or night & no chunky, tacky glitter). As w/all the Stila e/s, they go on smooth as silk & blend easily. I'm definitely look forward to summertime w/my Stila kitten summer palette :}
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Fusion Beauty - LipFusion XL 2X Micro-Injected Collagen and HA Lip Plumping Therapy
genabobena 4/24/2008 11:53:00 PM
I've been on a quest for my HG lip plumper. And this was def another disappointment. For $50 I was expecting more, but after using it for a month (along w/the LipFusion gloss), I saw no plumping whatsoever. The only pro was that I like that it doesn't sting my lips...but I would be willing to take the pain if it actually delivered fuller lips.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Tarte - Picture Perfect Eyelash Curler
genabobena 3/24/2008 1:05:00 AM
I am so glad I found this curler! I was using the Shu uemura curler, which didn't seem to do anything for me & pinched me every time I used it, plus I noticed that the curl didn't last through the day. I thought it was just my eyelashes, so I tried different mascaras & mascara primers but still found my lashes sticking straight out within a couple hrs. Well, I found out She uemura does animal testing so I chucked it & picked up this one to replace it. Not only is this one easier to use, it doesn't give me carpal tunnel using it, it doesn't pinch me, it is so cute w/it's lilac handle AND it keeps my curl all day long! Plus, the curl isn't that horrible L crimped curl. Now I don't even need a mascara primer to keep them looking curled all day.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Kiss Me - Kiss Me Mascara
genabobena 3/24/2008 12:53:00 AM
After reading all the hype, I really hoped this would be my new HG mascara. No such luck. It took so much work, which in the morning, I just don't need. I followed the directions & put on the first coat (which left me looking like spider leg lashes) so I combed, & waited 2 min before putting on a second coat. Still spidery so I had to comb again. It wasn't until the third coat (& combing) that I finally reached the look I was going for. Plus, the brush really irritated my eyes and made them feel itchy (& I don't even have sensitive eyes). The only pro was this came off ridiculously easy at the end of the night, just a splash of wash and a quick swipe of my finger & the tubes were down the drain!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tinted Moisturizer -Tarte - Amazonian Clay BB Tinted Mosturizer (Smooth Operator)
genabobena 3/24/2008 12:42:00 AM
I ran out of my HG Blu_Ray Cargo mattifying primer & figured I would use this since I received a tube in the Tarte Healthy Couture set. I really wanted to like this since I loved everything else in the set, but it pilled up all over my skin so I had to restart my entire morning routine (face wash, acne gel, spot treatment, acne scar hyperpigmentation treatment, moisturizer) all over again. This is definitely going right in the trash :/
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Cargo - SmokyEye Duo in Barcelona
genabobena 3/23/2008 12:29:00 AM
The price is a little high, but it really takes the guesswork out of the perfect smoky eye & that to me is priceless! The colors are very pigmented & the lasting power is great (when applied over my UDPP it lasted smudge & crease-free for over 12hrs). Plus, the teal really made my brown eye pop so I can only imagine what it would do for blue, green & hazel eyes! Not only would I buy this again, but I plan on picking up some of the other colors as well.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No