Fragrances -Lancome - La Vie Est Belle
ilovestuff 11/2/2012 3:05:00 PM
I love this fragrance! Normally I am not a big fan of Lancome fragrances, but they hit the mark on this one! Saw the whole "spiel" on HSN not long ago about it and they described it as a gourmand + fruity smell and it really is very YUMMY! I agree with others that it's got a "sugary" scent, but it's not sickeningly sweet and it definitely is a more sophisticated fragrance than Pink Sugar, which I loved for a while and even bought more and realized I didn't love it anymore! I bought La Vie Est Belle at Ulta. The 1 oz was $55 and the packaging is adorable with a little gray ribbon around the neck of the bottle and the pretty pink-ish color of the juice. On HSN, the Lancome rep said that the bottle design was created back in the 1949 and has been re-designed from the classic Lancome fragrances. I found that intriguing as well. As for whether or not it's similar to Flowerbomb...I guess I can *see* that, but it's not so similar that I feel like I have duplicate fragrances. This is more "sugary" than Flowerbomb and Flowerbomb seems to have more vanilla in it than La Vie Est Belle. Overall, I love this fragrance and I can imagine running out quite quickly and will re-purchase the largest size when I do.
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Liquid -Urban Decay - Naked Skin Weightless Ultra Definition Liquid Makeup
ilovestuff 11/1/2012 9:52:00 AM
I was hesitant to try this foundation as I am a big MAC Select fan and I already have "lighter" products such as tinted moisturizers which do not provide enough coverage. Naked Skin 2.0 is my shade and this is NOT just some tinted moisturizer or super thin foundation! It IS lighter weight than any of my others, but it provides pretty good coverage! I like the way you can pump makeup out with just a little press of the pump so you don't end up with too much product. Love the packaging, love the quality!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Essie - Boxer Shorts (Fall '12 Collection)
ilovestuff 8/27/2012 5:29:00 PM
I saw the new fall 2012 Essie display at Target today and as usual when there are new Essie colors, I stopped to check them out. I looked them all over and Boxer Shorts was the only one I felt like I really didn't already have in some other brand or even in Essie in a very similar or same color. Boxer Shorts is sort of a periwinkle purpley-blue. The first coat is beautiful and it really does fine with just a coat, unlike many of the Essie colors that are more of a "hint" of color, but a second coat really makes this color amazing! I've gotten compliments on this already and it's a nice, cheerful color, which is sort of hard to find going into fall. I have to say that overall, I tend to get more prolonged use and variety for my money from my Essie polishes than some of the designer or more expensive brands that I own. The fact that I can buy three of them for the price of one of some polishes I own, I don't know why I still buy any others!
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Mascara -BeneFit Cosmetics - They're Real
ilovestuff 8/26/2012 10:41:00 PM
I have tried so many different lengthening and volumizing eyelashes because I have very scant, light blond and short eyelashes. I figured I'd give this a try when I saw it in the "impulse buy" spot at Ulta. Now, I have a hard time paying $23 for a mascara at all, let alone one I'm not sure would be for me, but the fact that it came with a bonus mini, seemed like a good deal. Down to business: Pros: I LOVE the way my lashes look with this product on! LOVE! They look longer, especially if I touch up some of the outside areas with a little stroke up to stretch some of them even more. The packaging is durable, almost metal maybe? I like that the way things get banged around in my makeup bag sometimes. In general, this IS the best Benefit Mascara I've ever tried. I never understood the big deal over Bad Gal lash as it always clumped on me and didn't do good things for me. Cons: The brush has an odd shape and is very stiff. This is good for having control when you're being very precise, but trust me when I say that the end is *very* sharp and hurts more than other brushes when you poke yourself with it. I often use makeup remover wipes before I wash my face and this mascara does NOT want to come off with my wipes. Just when I think I got it all, I wake up looking a bit like a raccoon. It's probably the price I will pay to have staying power during the day, but I like removal to be a little easier.
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Treatments -Unlisted Brand - CVS Nail Polish Remover
ilovestuff 7/19/2012 10:43:00 PM
This review is for the CVS brand individually-packaged red felt nail polish remover pads. I have been needing to take my polish off in the middle of the day at work since we are not supposed to have chipped polish or sometimes my nails will be a little damp still when I leave the house and get messed up and need a touch up, so I was looking for some individual "travel" pads to keep in my purse. The box stated that ONE pad would be good for "all 20 nails" and honestly, given that I always use *at least* two coats, I didn't think it could be possible, but it's completely true. These pads are very thick, dark red felt, decent size, maybe 3"x3"(?) and I although they are pricier per use than if you just used your store brand or even brand name bottle of polish remover and cotton ball/pad, I am considering switching to these entirely because this product is SO MUCH faster and more efficient than my big bottles of polish remover that it's SO worth it! I'm hooked. Love em!
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Eyeliner -MAC - Fluidline Eye-Liner Gel in Blacktrack
ilovestuff 6/27/2012 9:58:00 PM
I love the smooth glide of this gel liner with a good, firm liner brush. It has very good staying power, too. Give it a little smudge for a bit of a smoky look.
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BB Cream -Smashbox - Camera Ready BB Cream SPF 35
ilovestuff 6/27/2012 9:46:00 PM
Let me start by saying that I have fair skin with pinker areas and really started to use BB creams to even that out and give coverage, spf and to even tone. I found this to be expensive for the amount of the BB cream compared to others. It has the texture and coverage of a tinted moisturizer and whether I applied it with a brush or my fingers, I found it to be streaky. After wearing for a couple of hours, it got patchy and definitely did not last all day. Unfortunately it was very obvious that I was wearing this product as it came off in some spots with just normal wear (not even sweating or in the heat or anything). Overall, I was disappointed with this product. It's nowhere near as much coverage or staying power as the Hot Pink Triple Function Skin79 BB.
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Mascara -Christian Dior - Diorshow Mascara
ilovestuff 7/31/2010 1:39:00 PM
I don't love this mascara. For me, it clumps and looks too fake. I really prefer Bourjois Volume Glamour.
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Eye Shadow -Urban Decay - Naked Palette
ilovestuff 7/31/2010 1:37:00 PM
I was lemming this palette and had to wait because my local Sephora was out and it was sold out online. Was lucky enough to get it in a swap and I. LOVE. THIS. PALETTE! I am fair with blue eyes and blond hair, but I don't always look good in neutrals. I also have avoided UD e/s for years because it usually has way too much glitter for me. The colors in the Naked palette are not overly glittery and are great for creating a nice daytime look...or glamming it up a bit for an evening out. I have never tried UD 24/7 eyeliner before getting this palette and am pleasantly surprised by how wonderful the eyeliner that comes with this set is. It glides on like MAC Kohl eyeliner and doesn't smudge like crazy or fade out. I also like that it's dual and one side is Zero (black) and the other is Whiskey (a deep brown), so you can change up your look. All in all, I am in love with this palette and amazed at the $$ value for the price...a mere $44. I may buy a backup, but the good news is that it's a PERMANENT palette and not Limited edition like so many other UD palettes!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Bare Escentuals - Bare Minerals ALL
ilovestuff 1/11/2009 7:25:00 PM
I started using Bare Minerals back in 2001, when it seemed to be the new hot item. I thought it was my HG for a couple of years, but it seems that my skin has changed and it makes my skin look flakey and dry, even with a good moisturizer underneath. It also needs to be reapplied during the day because it seems like it just absorbs after a while. I also wish it wasn't so messy and it was harder to spill all. over. the. place. Overall a nice idea and for some it's fabulous, but I think that me and some of my friends grew out of being able to use it when we hit our 30s LOL
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Primer/ Corrector -Laura Geller - Spackle Cream
ilovestuff 1/11/2009 7:23:00 PM
I absolutely, positively LOVE this primer! I had never used primer before and I kept thinking it would feel like, well, spackle under my makeup. I don't have any fine lines or wrinkles yet, as my daughter only recently became a teenager, but I know they are coming and the way this stuff smoothes out the imperfections that I DO have, I know this will be a great product for when the wrinkles come! When I first purchased it, I was using exclusively Bare Minerals on my face, but it seems like most of the year, my skin is too dry, even with moisturizer to use the mineral foundation. This did help, but I stills witched back to a liquid MAC foundation and this stuff makes my makeup look amazing. It doesn't ever look separated or cakey and with the Spackle underneath, it just glides right on and stays put. LOVE THIS STUFF! The great thing is that although it seems a little pricey, it goes a LONG way. I've had a 4 ounce pump of this for probably a year and it's not halfway gone even.
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Cleansers -Neutrogena - Oil-Free Acne Wash Pink Grapefruit Facial Cleanser
ilovestuff 1/11/2009 7:19:00 PM
This is a wonderful variation of their Oil-Free Acne wash. My daughter and my husband are both prone to breakouts and my husband likes the original Oil-Free Acne wash by Neutrogena, but my daughter can't stand the way it smells, so this Pink Grapefruit scent is right up her alley. It works the same and they seem to have less breakouts when they are using it regularly. I will even use it in a pinch if I got in the shower without my own facial cleanser and it is not overly drying, which most acne products are for me and the scent is very pleasant. The price is right, too.
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Cleansers -Cetaphil - Gentle Skin Cleanser
ilovestuff 1/11/2009 7:16:00 PM
A girlfriend of mine swears by this stuff. I tend to have sensitive skin, so I bought some and I was very disappointed that it didn't seem to dissolve makeup or oil on the skin. I never felt like my skin was clean and even after wiping it with a washcloth (which made my skin really red), I felt like I still had the residue of this cleanser on my face.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -NARS - Orgasm Blush
ilovestuff 1/11/2009 7:15:00 PM
I first reviewed this product years ago when I tried it the first time around and I didn't love it. During that time period, I didn't wear blush daily and wasn't a huge fan in general of pigmented blushes. I am now using blush every single day that I wear makeup and I really love this shade. I do have to have a light hand with it or it is too dark for my fair, pink-toned skin. My only real complaint about this blush is what I seem to see as the biggest complaint as a whole about NARS products, which is the packaging. I like that it flips up, I like the square compact, but I really dislike the way the outside of the compact feels and it is not a product you can just throw into your handbag or makeup bag without it looking very beat up.
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Masks -Queen Helene - Mint Julep Masque
ilovestuff 1/11/2009 7:09:00 PM
I jumped on the bandwagon for this product because it seems to be such a cult favorite and, well, it's cheap! I tend to get oily, so I figured that this was the perfect product for me. It made my skin itch and I couldn't wait till it was time to take it off. When I did, I didn't find that my skin felt cleaner or softer or clearer or anything and my pores didn't seem to be any smaller or cleaner than before.
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