Eye Shadow -MAC - Handwritten Matte2
iheartwarpaint 3/27/2010 9:01:00 PM
This is my favorite MAC e/s. I use it to smoke out my outer v or as an eyeliner. It's extremely pigmented so be sure to use a light hand and build up from there. It's not chalky at all and very easy to blend. My favorite combo for easy, smokey eyes when I don't have loads of time to do my m/u is bronze on the lid, handwritten on the outer v and brule as a highlight.
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Lipstick -MAC - Viva Glam Gaga
iheartwarpaint 2/18/2010 3:09:00 AM
I'm NC30 with olive skintone for reference. I bought this hoping that it'll work for me, unlike Saint Germain. Although Gaga was a little more wearable than SG, the only way it can look good on me is if I use a brownish pink lipliner to warm it up. Bubblegum pink l/s just don't look good on me and I've honestly have only seen a few people that can pull this color off. I'm still keeping it to play around with it more. I'm going to try a warmer lipliner with it and hopefully I'll get better results. Love the packaging, but hate how the texture of this lipstick accentuates every flaw on your lips. Make sure you exfoliate and moisturize well before applying!
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Palettes -Unlisted Brand - Z Palette-Large
iheartwarpaint 11/14/2009 1:46:00 AM
I ordered this palette from zpalette.com and received it a couple days ago. The reviewer below pretty much covered everything I wanted to say. I was able to fit 9 Urban Decay e/s, 3 NYX trios, and 8 Lorac e/s totaling 26! I love that you can see everything through the clear cover. No more opening the lid to hunt for the e/s you're looking for. I was pleasantly surprised that the plastic "window" on the cover is somewhat thick... not flimsy at all. The only thing that concerns me about this palette is the "hinge" to the lid. Since this palette is made of "high quality matte paper" (according to their website), I'm scared that one day the paper will get weak from constantly opening/closing the lid, causing it to become detached. Then you'd have to tape it back together, leaving you with a ghetto looking palette. However, that didn't stop me from ordering a second one. It is a little pricey at $20.00 each, but I think having the clear top and the freedom to fit any size e/s or blush in it worth the extra dough. EDIT: Beauty.com now carries zpalettes. If you purchase through bing.com, cashback is usually around 20%-25% plus you get the 5% drugstore cash to use on future purchases and no sales tax depending on where you live. (I live in CA so I don't get charged tax.) I have 6 of these now and still lvoe them. I'm not sure how they compare to the new MAC palettes now that they've been redesigned with a clear lid and magnetic closure.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Make Up For Ever - HD High Definition Foundation
iheartwarpaint 10/4/2009 5:04:00 PM
I went to Sephora the other day exploring new foundation options since my normal routine is LM tinted moisturizer. I wanted a medium to full coverage foundation, so I decided to check out MUFE since one of my favorite youtube gurus recommended it. It took a while for the SA to pick a shade for me and she finally decided on 123. She applied primer first and then the foundation with her fingers (rather heavily IMO). I liked the fact that I did not need a separate concealer for my undereye circles and my few acne scars disappeared, but at the same time I was horrified that foundation settled into the pores of my nose magnifying them like crazy. It also felt very cakey and looked unnatural close up. Even after all that I decided to take a chance and purchased it anyway. The next day I applied LM oil-free primer first and then applied a small amount of foundation with the Beauty Blender (love that thing!). It only took a small amount to cover my whole face. The application and finished result texture wise was 100x better than when the SA applied it with her fingers. The pores on my nose were not noticeable at all and I didn't have the caked on look... just a pretty airbrushed finish BUT I'm not sure if it's because of the foundation or the Beauty Blender (I'm leaning more towards the Beauty Blender). The letdown of this whole experience came about an hour later when I looked into the mirror and saw that my face turned into this ashy reddish color! Yikes!!!! Shade 123 didn't match me perfectly in the first place. It was a bit orangey and didn't match my neck at first, but after an hour the tad orange look turned into a nasty, ashy-red finish. GROSS!!! I was tempted to go back and find a shade that matched closer to my neck, but after I saw the oxidation I changed my mind. The product did stay on all day and I didn't notice a lot of shine at the end of the day, which is great because I have combo skin with a very oily t-zone. Unfortunately this will be going back to Sephora. I got better results with LM Silk Creme Foundation, but I need to find tune my shades since the ones straight out of the tube don't match me perfectly and I have to mix a couple shades together to find the right one.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Laura Mercier - Secret Concealer
iheartwarpaint 10/4/2009 4:35:00 PM
This is my HG undereye concealer... at the moment. I've previously used the Lancome Maquicomplet Correcteur, but it was too thin, didn't offer enough coverage, and left me with a dry/washed out result. I moved on to Benefit's boi-ing concealer in shade 2. I was pleased by the coverage and consistency at first, but always felt like it was a tad too dark. After using boi-ing for about two years, my undereye area started to get dry and I had to mix a tiny bit of vaseline or Rosebud salve to get it to a creamy consistency so I decided it was time to move on and find another concealer. I've always wanted to try LM products, so what better way to take the plunge than with the one product I can't live without. (If I was stranded on a desertedxd` island and I could only take three beauty products with me they would be undereye concealer, a Shu Uemura lash curler and Burts Bees lip balm with pomegranate oil. LOL!) I was immediately drawn to the creamy consistency of SC and was even more blown away at the coverage. The MA chose shade 3 and I purchased it that day, but later went back for shade 2 because I feel like it suits my complexion better and livens up my eye area. I still use shade 3 when I'm slightly tanner. I do notice the "shiny" finish others are talking about, but it's not a problem for me since I apply a THIN layer of LM secret brightening powder to set. It does not look cakey at all! I love this concealer and I can't live without it. I don't get white halo thing under my eyes in pictures either. The only gripe I have is the packaging. I prefer the product to be in a tube rather than a pot since I apply this with my finger, but oh well. I'll probably transfer a small amount of it in another jar so I don't have to keep opening up the original jar and risking the product to dry out and to minimize contamination. For reference I'm NC30 in MAC Studio Stick, Sand in LM Tinted Moisturizer, and a mix of Cashew Beige and Bamboo Beige LM Silk Creme foundation. Asian with light/medium yellow/olive skintone.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Blast Waterproof
iheartwarpaint 10/4/2009 4:08:00 PM
I love this mascara! I find that I reach for this everyday over the others I have. I have straight, medium length asian eyelashes that grow downward so I curl my lashes like crazy with my trusty Shu Uemura lash curler before applying two coats of this mascara. This mascara lengthens and volumizes my lashes to a natural look. If you're looking for extreme volume increase, this may not be for you. My lashes don't lose the curl at all, nor do I end up with the dreaded panda eye even after a long, hot California day. I've never had it flake on me either. I have noticed recently that I'm getting slight clumping, but it's probably because my tube is a bit old now and should be replaced soon. It's nothing a metal lash comb can't fix though. I haven't tried the non-waterproof version, but I may try my luck with that because removing this one takes a little work and I don't want to rub my eyes every night.
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Blush -MAC - Blushcreme Pearl Blossoming
iheartwarpaint 8/30/2009 1:27:00 AM
I wish someone would've warned me about the big chunks of glitter in this blush! I picked this up at the CCO and fell in love with the pop of pink it gave me, however upon closer inspection I was horrified to see my cheeks plastered with glitter. I love shimmery blush, but this has actual glitter particles! I buffed my cheeks with a kabuki and it helped get rid of the larger glitter, but there's plenty left of the smaller chunks. That's not the only thing wrong with this. This blushcreme does not apply well with a 187 brush. It goes on splotchy and is hard to even out. I ended up having to purchase the 192 brush that is specifically for applying blushcremes since it's made of synthetic fibers. (Thank God that was available at the CCO also.) The brush helped apply the blush evenly, but it doesn't make up for looking like a walking disco ball! The color does not last either! When the color fades, you're left with glitter glued to your face. I also bought Sweet William, but I still need to try it out. At least I discovered the 192 brush out of this whole ordeal. I'll be using it with my other cream blushes.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Eyeshadow Brush
iheartwarpaint 8/14/2009 2:23:00 AM
I've had this brush for about two years now and I find that it's still one that I keep reaching for. It's very dense, but not fluffy so it's good to use when packing on the e/s. I've never experienced shedding, it didn't have a weird smell when I got it, and the handle isn't ridiculously long so that it hits the mirror when you're applying makeup. I would definitely purchase it again, but haven't felt the need to since it's still in perfect shape like the first day I received it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -MAC - Mineralize Blush - Improvise
iheartwarpaint 8/12/2009 4:28:00 PM
I'm NC30 and I use this blush alone with a 187 brush for a light, natural sweep of color. When I originally purchased it, I was hoping the color would be more pigmented. If I want to add more color, I use this on top of a matte peachy blush and am very pleased with the results. The only thing that turns me off is when I swirl my 187 brush into the blush, I get a lot of flyaway and it gets a bit messy. I would also use a light-hand with this blush or else you'll end up looking too shiny... unless that's the look you're going for. The MAC ma that tried this on me packed it on soooo much that it looked rather ridiculous. I love MAC's mineralize blush and plan on keeping this one, but I want to go back and find one that's more pigmented. **EDIT 10/04/09** I ended up returning this to Macy's because the pay-off was a complete letdown. I have other MSF's that can deliver the same result as this "blush", so I didn't feel the need to keep this one around. I also noticed that my pores are more noticeable with MSF. I may have to swap my whole MSF collection.
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Lip Gloss -NYX - goddess of the night in Natural
iheartwarpaint 8/10/2009 3:35:00 AM
I can't believe there aren't more reviews on this! I recently purchased this at Ulta and I have to say that this is one of my favorite glosses! I'm a huge fan of MAC glosses and BE Buxom Lips, but I like to try pretty much every brand when it comes to lipgloss. This is my go to MLBB gloss if I don't want to wear anything sticky like Lipglass. I love that this is very pigmented with no sparkle/shimmer. I actually think it makes my lips softer as well! It does have a faint, sorta like my kid's cherry tylenol smell... but I kind of enjoy it. LOL! I would definitely pick up a couple more of these. I do want to point out though, when I was at Ulta browsing the NYX l/g, a couple of them looked like they were leaking. I'm not sure if it's because people were swatching them (they don't have any protective "wrap") and weren't careful when closing the tube. If you are thinking of purchasing any NYX e/l, l/l, or l/g please make sure that they haven't been tested.
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Eye Primer -Urban Decay - Eyeshadow Primer Potion - Original (UDPP)
iheartwarpaint 8/10/2009 3:20:00 AM
I just had to try this stuff out after hearing all of the rave reviews. I have hooded eyelids that tend to get oily, causing my e/s to crease mid-day. I previously used Benefit's f.y.i. primer, but my e/s still creased. Since then I haven't been a believer in e/s primer.... until I used UDPP! I recently purchased the xl size only available at Sephora for a limited time. (You get 60% more for only $5 more!) The first time I used it was under NYX yogurt jumbo eye pencil as a base and then a couple e/s from Coastal Scents warm pallette. I had my doubts since the eye pencil is so creamy and figured I'd start creasing in no time, but to my pleasant surprise I did not crease ALL day long! Ok, this is gross but I have to admit that I even fell asleep with my makeup on and when I woke up the next morning my eye makeup was still intact... e/s & e/l! I agree with the others as far as packaging goes. I really don't care if it comes in a cute bottle. I hope they smarten up and revise the packaging.
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Bronzers -Bare Escentuals - Soft Focus Warmth
iheartwarpaint 8/5/2009 3:49:00 AM
For reference I'm NC30. I normally wear medium beige BE foundation, but it tends to wash me out just a tad, especially on my forehead where I'm the darkest. When I first became a BE user, the starter kit I purchased from Sephora came with the original Warmth. After a couple attempts to apply it correctly, I gave up because I always ended up looking to ruddy. After a couple years I decided to give soft focus warmth a try and I'm glad I did. All you need is the TINIEST amount to give yourself a soft glow without looking too orange. I barely put any product on the tip of my double ended lighten/brighten brush to get started. I use it to contour my cheeks, on my temples, along my jawbone, and a light swipe on my nose and chin. Remember to start off with a very tiny amount of product and you can always apply more if needed. It's harder to fix your mistake if you start off with too much. I took off one lippie because I have to try to keep the container flat or too much product will come up through the sifter and onto the lid and it's hard to get the stuff back down. I like to have the lid clear so I can swirl/tap the right amount of product in my brush. Maybe the sifter needs smaller holes?
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No