Eye Shadow -Clinique - Color Surge Duo in Strawberry Fudge
hobereaux 6/5/2006 4:07:00 AM
It's a combination of metallic pink and a -- well, I don't know how to describe it, so we'll leave it to other reviewers. The colors are highly pigmented so they look exactly like they are in the pan when applied. The colors are very unique and blends beautifully together. I usually use the pink as a wash and wear the brown in the crease for a summer everyday look, sometimes with MAC Powersurge as lower e/l. Lasting power is great and no creasing -- I have dry skin so it's never been a problem for me anyways. For reference, I am a cool-toned AAB, LM Warm Ivory.
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Polishes -OPI - Malaga Wine
hobereaux 6/5/2006 3:52:00 AM
I love love this color! It's a beautiful blue-based red that is just elegantly sexy. It looks more reddish indoors, but under bright sunlight it' more purplish -- I love the way it changes color with lighting. Of all my OPI nail polishes this is the one I reach for the most, and I would definitely recommend it if you are cool-toned, though I doubt that it will work for warmer skin tones. Simply gorgeous!
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Polishes -OPI - Smok'n In Havana
hobereaux 5/9/2006 9:51:00 PM
I don't usually go for warm colors becasue my toes are totally pale, but this is a great pedicure choice fro summer. It's orangy red with bronze shimmer, and I think it's a beautiful autumnal color, as well as a late summer tanned look. Lasts for about a week on my toes. Really love it!
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Polishes -OPI - Dancing In The Isles
hobereaux 5/9/2006 9:39:00 PM
For some reason, it's just frosty pink on me: there is no hint of peach (cool-toned AAB). Lasts very well, like all other OPI products, for up to fours days (I do dishes.) However, no matter what I do, I can't get rid of the streaks. Overall, a cute manicure color for spring/ summer, but there are similar ones at a more reasonable price, and for this reason I won't purchase again.
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Eye Shadow -Chanel - Shadowlights- Chahut
hobereaux 5/1/2006 1:42:00 PM
It's my HG brown e/s. I am a cool-toned AAB, and always have a hard time finding a brown that's deep enough without being orangy for a polished everyday look; yet this is the answer to my prayers! In the pan, it looks like any other brown, and I wouldn't have bought it if it were not for the beautiful coppery shimmer. However, it looks absolutely beautiful once appliced (used in the crease over black e/l), with a hint of pink -- now I understand why this is *the* brown for me; but note that if pink doesn't really work for you, you might want to try other browns. The texture is totally creamy and blendable, and it works well with Ombre D'eau in Sand as a wash underneath for a polished day look, and fabulous with the Golden Eyes quad for a summer evening out. Best lip match: MAC Frost in O!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tinted Moisturizer -Laura Mercier - Tinted Moisturizer SPF 20
hobereaux 5/1/2006 1:26:00 PM
To be frank, I'm not very impressed with this product, and would have given it only 2 lippies if I had not found a way to make it work for me. First of all, although it is called a moisturizer, and that many people with oily skin complain about its greasiness, as a person with very dry skin, I feel that it fails to live up to its name as a moisturizer -- I cannot use it alone without another moisturizer underneath, and even if I do so, it makes my nose flaky (yep, I am that dry!) and it aggravates the crow's feet. Second, although Nude is a more or less matching shade for my MMM AAB complexion, it darkens after a few hours and makes me look dirty, despite the fact that I did put on some powder to set it. Third, I find the SPF 20 quite useless -- in the winter it's about the right amount of protection IMO, but it's too dry for me; in the summer, SPF 20 just doesn't seem to be enough. I guess my dissatisfaction with it also has something to do with the fact that I have paid so much for an *amazingly average* product. By the way, as for the tint, since I am a cool-toned MMM AAB, it's really hard for me to find a fdtn that's dark enough without being too beige, so my solution to using it is to use Clinique City Block SPF40 underneath, and now the combo is my HG. Still, I am not too enthusiastic about repurchasing -- I think I am going back to Dior and Chanel.
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Sunscreen -Clinique - Super City Block SPF 40
hobereaux 5/1/2006 3:28:00 AM
I've been using it for the past few days, and I am totally in love with it! As others have already mentioned, it is lightweight -- I'd say, lighter than the LM TM that I usually use, non-greasy, and gentle enough to go over the eye area (though I am not sensitive, many other SS break me into tears). To my surprise, the oil-free formula is not drying to my dry skin either. As for the tint, I have no problem with it. I am an AAB, LM Warm Ivory, and it's almost an exact shade! Curiously however, if I wear this under my LM fdtn, I look awefully pale, as if wearing a fdtn a shade too white; if I wear this by itself, it works as a TM for me -- too sheer to make any difference. I've found that this works best used under LM TM Nude, which is a bit too beige on my face by itself, and I have to say, it's My Skin But Better! Hence I think the tint actually alters my complexion (in a mysterious way unknown to me; perhaps has something to do with the light-reflecting properties in its formula), and it might become a problem if you use fdtn over it. I would recommend getting a sample before purchasing, and try to use it with AND without fdtn to see for yourself.
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Eye Shadow -Chanel - Ombre D'Eau Fluid Iridescent Eyeshadow, (general)
hobereaux 4/30/2006 2:36:00 AM
LOVE LVOE LOVE this one! Chanel fluid e/s is the best liquid/ cream e/s I've ever tried -- LM too drying, RMK too glittery & sticky, MAC hard to control -- but this is so easy to apply, almost foolproof. The texture is quite unique, it's kind of cooling on the eyelids upon application, and dries up quickly. The best part of the design is the application stick, which is so soft it feels like cotton swabs, unlike the other stick appicators I've used before that are just so hard and stinging. I have very dry eye area, and a surgical mark on eyelid (remnant from a naughty childhood), and unlike all the liquid/ cream e/s, this is the only one that does NOT accentuate the unevenness after drying up! I have this in Sand, which is a beautiful metallic brown shimmer that can be worn as a wash or alone for a polished everyday look. Definitely going to try more colors!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Kiehls - Ultra Moisturizing Eye Stick SPF 30 [DISCONTINUED]
hobereaux 4/27/2006 3:03:00 AM
I purchased it simply because I couldn't find any eye cream with an SPF that would not irritate my eyes when I wear hard contacts, and it works really well! I have very dry skin, and even drier eye area, so this works for me best in the summer, (need eye cream underneath during winter though.) The lipstick design comes in pretty convenient -- all you need to do is smooth over since it's quiet oily. No "suncreen" smell, moisturizing enought but not greasy, and no irritation. Probably the only eye cream with high enough SPF (to me, SPF 15 = NOTHING) to keep my eye area safe. Overall, very satisfied with the result, and I would probably buy again.
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Lipstick -MAC - Frost Lipstick in O
hobereaux 4/20/2006 2:05:00 PM
Though I usually shy away from l/s that are too shiny, like O in the tube, however, I am SO in love with it! Just as everyone has said, it turns out to be a brown/red/bronze color when applied, and it's so beautiful! Even my bf, who is usually colorblind to whatever l/s or e/s I wear (oh, really? you are wearing purple e/s today?), immediately noticed the difference and said that the color is "very tasteful." I am definitely buying again!
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Lip Treatments -Dr. Hauschka - Lip Balm - pot
hobereaux 4/19/2006 12:28:00 PM
I truly LOVE this lip balm! It has a very gentle essntail-oil-quallity rose scent, unlike all the other lip balms I've used. (I'm a total lip balm fanatic -- one in every pocket, every drawer, every purse!) I have very dry lips, and this provides just enough moisturizing : it works well not only as a base for those drying MAC lipsticks, but it is also the one that I would reach for every night before getting into bed. I love it not only because its rose scent (it's more grassy and hence natural than artificial ones, if you'd tried any rose essentail oil before, you'd know what I mean), but more importantly, it's very soothing, and NOT GREASY (like Kiehl's #1) at all! However, I must admit that it's a bit expensive, though indeed a little goes a long way. Probably my HG.
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Makeup Brushes -Shu Uemura - #20H brush
hobereaux 4/17/2006 9:50:00 PM
I've been using this brush for over five years, and it's still in awesome condition despite monthly bathes -- super soft and no shedding at all. A totally worthy investment! I started using it in my earlier days when I fell in love w/ Orgasm, and now that I am so into cream blush, I use it mostly for brushing highlighting powders on my upper cheeks under the eye. It works just as well! I wear hard contacts and my eyes can get extremely irritable, but I have no problem with it at all. I think the length of the handle is just right for brushing cheeks, whether bronzer, blush, or highlighter.
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Lip Gloss -Maybelline - Shiny-licious - Cherry Berry
hobereaux 4/14/2006 9:52:00 PM
I totally regret buying this! The pigmentation is okay, but just like everyone else has said, this stuff smells gross! Besides, it's totally sticky I got my hair stuck on my lips every time there is a tiny breeze. The packaging is lousy as well; it gets messy after the first application. Seriously, you can't expect anything worse.
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Lotions/ Creams -Bath and Body Works - Tutti Dolci Fantasia di Cioccolata
hobereaux 4/14/2006 9:45:00 PM
Though I usually prefer natural to artifitial scents, I am a bit surprised to find myself attracted to this totally artificail stuff. It's more berry-ish than chocolaty, so you might be disappointed if you are looking for chocolate scents; however, the smell that lingers on goes a bit "plastic," like the smell of brand new Barbie dolls when you open the box. The souffle is totally NOT moisturizing, but I never expected it to be, so I'm not at all disappointed. For me, B &BW is merely for fun, not for any serious skin improvement anyways. Besides, it's rather inexpensive, so you can't really expect too much quality out of it. The glass container is rather cute though.
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Loose Powders -Laura Mercier - Laura Mercier Loose Powder in Ivory
hobereaux 4/8/2006 7:33:00 PM
Despite the overall positive reviews, I don't find it especially praiseworthy. It's finely milled alright, but not as well as Covermark or Mikimoto (best powder IMP, got it in Japan). Though supposedly this yellowish powder should be perfect for my Asian complexion, it just looked so yellow on me and a bit too much "made-up" for the natural look I prefer. Perhaps it just doesn't work for PPP like me. That said, the packaging is pretty good; only a shake or two and you can get lots of powder out, (Covermark package sucks in this; I feel like working out my arms every morning trying to get some powder). I probably wouldn't perchase again; it's just not so worth it.
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