Liquid -Urban Decay - Naked Skin
jbeck14 11/5/2012 11:56:00 AM
In my many years of wearing makeup, this is the ONLY foundation that I have ever bought a second bottle of. I grabbed this on an impulse, I had run out of my last foundation, and I was in Sephora to pick out a new one. I couldn't decide, and last minute I grabbed this one, swatched it on my hand and said to myself, "Well, I'll just take it back if I don't like it." When I put it on the next day, I was floored. The coverage is PERFECT, I have relatively okay skin, but I have some spots from previous acne, and a few red spots on my face. This covered everything without looking like a thick, cakey mask. The finish was wonderful...it didn't make my face look like an oily slick, but it didn't make it look flat and unnatural. It really does look like skin. Another bonus is that everything layers on top of it beautifully, My blush looks wonderful, my bronzer blends perfectly. It feels light, not heavy. It hardly feels like you are wearing any makeup at all. The color is a dead-on match for me too...4.0 is just right. I like the numbered scale, with the yellower tones ending in .0 and the pinker tones ending in .5. I am a light yellow with olive undertones, and other yellow foundations have always made me look a little sick. 4.0 has the perfect balance of yellow undertones without being too yellow, but also has no hints of pink whatsoever. I also love the packaging, I love any foundation with a pump, makes everything much easier and more hygienic.I think I have finally found my HG foundation after YEARS of searching. After trying everything from almost every MAC foundation, Bobbi Brown, NARS, Smashbox, Benefit, Too Faced, Lorac, Bare Minerals, tons of drugstore foundations, I think the search is over. Hallelujah!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Essie - Ballet Slippers
jbeck14 9/9/2012 9:49:00 PM
This is a really pretty color. Makes my hands look clean and polished, perfect for work or school, or when you don't want to have a crazy color :) One downside is that it does start to look a little dingy after about 3-4 days, but other than that, perfect light-milky pink!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Urban Decay - Naked 2 Palette
jbeck14 4/22/2012 4:49:00 PM
LOVE this palette. If I could only keep one eye product in my makeup bag, this would be it. I have completely neglected all of my other eyeshadows since I bought this! This palette is on the cooler side, which I like. The Naked 1 has really warm shades, lots of yellows and oranges. This is more silvery/taupe. My favorite colors are Foxy (buttery matte yellow), Bootycall (shimmery light pink), Snakebite (dark shimmery brown), Suspect (silvery medium brown), Pistol (dark grey with brown), Verve (shimmery silver beige) and Busted (dark brown with purple). The ones that I don't use as much are Half Baked (orange gold), Chopper (shimmery copper) and YDK (reddish copper) just because I don't like orange-y colors on my eyes. Just doesn't look right for me. But other than those 3, I regularly use every color in this palette, and I'm so happy that I bought it. It's a beautiful palette, with TONS of variety. I love it.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -NARS - Gilda
jbeck14 4/22/2012 4:15:00 PM
I LOVE NARS blushes. Wish they weren't so expensive, but whenever I bite the bullet and buy one, it always pays off. However, Gilda is by far my favorite blush...EVER. I've tried tons of MAC blushes, Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown, everything. Nothing ever looked *perfect*. Gilda just gives me the most perfect, buildable flush. It's kind of a coral-y medium pink, which goes perfectly with my NC30-35 skin. I wouldn't recommend this to people with blue undertones, because it is a very warm pink. It goes really well with my golden undertones. It is matte, which I like because shimmer in blushes always seems cheap-looking to me. However, it doesn't look cakey or flat. It can be intensified, from a light, natural application to a heavier finish. It's the first blush that I use daily, and never want to stop using. It's also lasted a long time-haven't even hit pan. I LOVE THIS BLUSH.
2 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Essie - Fiesta
jbeck14 11/28/2011 12:02:00 AM
Yay! I love this color! I've been on the hunt for the perfect pink for a while, and I think I found it! Fiesta is a bright but not obnoxious pink, not too coral, but not too blue-ish. It is a nice medium pink. It looks awesome on my NC20-30 skin, providing some nice color without being a nasty Pepto-Bismol or neon pink. Out of all my Essie polishes, this might just be my favorite. I thought that Essie's Watermelon was supposed to be the quintessential pink, but Watermelon always shows up very reddish on me. I think this is just perfect, a great, wearable pink that applies completely opaque in 2 coats (but you could get away with one). Love it!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -MAC - Pro Longwear concealer
jbeck14 10/5/2011 11:37:00 PM
Really surprised by how much I liked this product. I was at Macy's a few weeks ago, and was strolling by the MAC counter. I'm always on the hunt for a great concealer, and picked this up on a whim. I love it! It is neither too heavy nor too light, and layers flawlessly. For example, if I need to just cover up slight redness around my nose, I used a thin layer. If I have a larger imperfection, I'll just do two layers. It doesn't look cakey or thick at all, and does not budge. I hardly ever have to touch up my makeup at work. So far, I have tried every single one of the MAC concealers, and this is my favorite. However, the one, *sob* downside to this concealer is the pump. It is impossible to squirt out less than a dime sized blob, no matter how carefully and painstakingly you press the pump. I hardly ever need that much concealer, and end up wiping the majority of it off the back of my hand with a Kleenex, which makes me very sad. It feels really wasteful. As far as product formulation, though, MAC has really hit a home run with this one.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -MAC - Mineralize Satinfinish SPF 15 Foundation [DISCONTINUED]
jbeck14 11/21/2010 2:15:00 AM
I think the reason this product has so many bad comments is because people who shouldn't be using it are buying this. This foundation is for a very, VERY select group of people. Those people would be women (and i guess some men...) who have very normal to possibly SLIGHTLY dry skin, little to no acne, and basically just want to even their skin tone and look dewy. I used to have terrible acne, with very oily skin. I took Accutane (twice!), and now I have very balanced and normal skin, with the occasional period pimple. All of my old foundations were too heavy, and all my tinted moisturizers were way too light. I went to the MAC counter, where the MUA told me that Studio Fix Fluid would be way too thick, as well as Pro Longwear. I didn't want a powder foundation (hate the finish), so she recommended this. I was matched to NC30, which is exactly my color. First off, I would never wear this foundation alone, with no powder or anything. It would be way too dewy, and I would verge on looking oily. My routine with this is about 1 1/2 pumps, dot all over my face, massage in with fingers. Then I apply my concealer, and then a light dusting of Mineralized Skinfinish Natural in Medium. It strikes the perfect balance. Even my dad, who thinks makeup on my face other than powder is "too heavy", thought this looked great on me. The packaging is amazing too, a perfect little pump. If you have the good skin for this foundation, go for it. If you are too oily, it will make you look like a slick. If you are too dry, it will gather in the flakes. Basically, either chemically cleared skin like mine, natural good genes, or Victoria's Secret Models should wear this. As far as for me, I absolutely love it.
11 out of 11 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Neutrogena - Healthy Skin Face Lotion with SPF 15
jbeck14 11/7/2010 12:29:00 PM
I was strolling down the Neutrogena aisle, searching for a new, no-frills moisturizer. I had terrible acne for years, but after taking Claravis (aka, Accutane) I now have beautiful, normal skin. Granted, I did have blotchiness and some scars leftover, but I was more than willing to deal with those over having bad acne. I picked this up, not really paying attention and thinking it was just a basic SPF moisturizer. After coming home, I looked at the box and saw "Alpha Hydroxy Acid" I was like "aw MAN. I just wanted something basic!" but I tried it anyways, and I love it! my skin has never looked better. The blotchiness and scars are gone, and my pores have gotten significantly smaller! It does a great job of moisturizing my face, and works well with my makeup. The only downside is the really weird smell (like...rotten lemons) but that goes away after like 10 minutes. Overall, best moisturizer ever!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Chanel - Chance
jbeck14 10/18/2010 11:47:00 PM
Mmmm I LOVE this stuff. This was my first "real" perfume, and my dad bought it for me when he was in London. They do have it stateside, but he just took advantage of the duty-free shopping in Heathrow Airport. From the moment I smelled this, I loved it. Fresh with out being "squeaky clean", and a little bit spicy without being too exotic. This fragrance isn't sweet at all, and is not cloying in the least. For the first 20 minutes of wearing it, it is a little heavy, but I spray it on mid-morning routine and by the time I leave it is perfect. People always tell me how nice I smell, guys and girls. It really has become my signature scent, and I love it as well as my friends do. This stuff has a permanent spot on my dresser, and I think that I will wear it from age 16 to 65 (or more!). This scent is great, and fits my personality perfectly. Thanks dad!! :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Hair -Pantene - Flat to Volume
jbeck14 10/18/2010 11:42:00 PM
I actually really liked this shampoo. I had been using the new Flat to Volume Spray Gel and Mousse and I liked those, but I was using some Tresemme shampoo that just barely did the job. I bought a bottle of this and tried it out, and I loved it! I can't really say for how it would volumize by itself, as I used it with products, but it made my hair feel really clean and smelled GREAT all day long. my hair felt unusually super duper soft (i straighten and blowdry every morning-my ends are always nappy) and i couldnt stop touching it (BAD!) it was a really good hair day for me, and i hope this stuff keeps working. :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Top/Base Coats -Seche Vite - Dry Fast Top Coat
jbeck14 9/14/2010 12:35:00 AM
Well, haha, this kind of saved/ruined my life all at the same time. Before SV, it would take me 3 1/2 hours, minimum, to do my nails. From the clipping and filing and buffing and trimming and pushing and polishing and top coats and waiting. and WAITING. and WAITINGWAITINGWAITING for it to dry. And I would think that my nails were all set and ready, pick up my purse and boom. Smudge/Smear/Dent. It was really frustrating, and it got to the point where I would never do my nails at all, and they would just be nasty and scraggly all the time. So about a week ago I picked up SV at Target, not thinking terribly much of it, just remembering the raves by nail bloggers. I tried it that night. 3 coats of Essie Vainity Fairest, and then this. With everything thing included, EVEN drying time, I was done in less than 30 minutes. And during those 30 minutes, I typed out a paper on my laptop. This stuff is smooth and amazing and so fast drying. I used to use my nail polish as an excuse to watch my trash TV while it dried. My boyfriend would come in on me watching Jersey Shore, and I would just say "I have to let my nails dryyy!" But alas, SV has changed that. I am now only a hardworking, beautifully manicured lady. :)
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -Revlon - Age Defying Moisturizing Concealer (New) [DISCONTINUED]
jbeck14 8/16/2010 6:29:00 PM
I actually love this. I'm a HUGE concealer snob, and I have tried everything, from drugstore to MAC. If I was to give this a a dupe for something, I would say that it is closest to MAC Select Cover-Up. They give you a really good amount of product. I have pretty good skin, circles, redness around mouth and nose, the occasional zit. This stuff blends super well, and doesn't settle or cake at all. It covers everything up really naturally. I actually use it more than my MAC Select Cover-up, because in my opinion, it is better. Great product Revlon!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Primer -Too Faced - Shadow Insurance, Anti-Crease Eye Shadow Primer
jbeck14 6/12/2010 11:41:00 AM
Wow. I had always liked this product and used it throughout the fall/winter for keeping my shadows from creasing, but last night, I truly discovered it's magic. It was the first night of summer, and my best friend had a pool/hot tub party. I wasn't sure what type of eye makeup to wear, but I just put it on as normal, but with waterproof mascara. I usually put this on, then before it dries I put on a MAC Paint Pot, almost always Bare Study. Then I just brush on my favorite eyeshadow(s) that day. I did use eyeliner (Prestige Liquid), and I wasn't sure if that would run or not. So the entire night, we were jumping in the pool and sitting in the hot tub, for a good 3 hours. All my friend's makeup smeared and ran down their faces, but mine wouldn't budge! My eyes still looked flawless after 3 hours of swimming. I couldn't believe it! My friends could not stop commenting on how good it still looked, and they all asked what I used. It was amazing. I would DEFINITELY buy this for it's regular use, but be aware of it's summer use. I can't wait to use this all summer. Definitely will buy again. Love the packaging too, 10 times better than that stupid UDPP packaging.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Woodwinked - veluxe pearl
jbeck14 12/28/2009 9:15:00 PM
This shadow came out a lot differently than I thought. It looked like brown with a little gold in it, but this is a strong bronzy, almost a little mustard-y color. It is a pretty eyeshadow on me, but it is just a little too brassy. A teeny bit in the crease looks okay, but unfortunately otherwise I just don't think that I will use it much.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Cover Girl - Lash Exact
jbeck14 12/12/2009 1:09:00 PM
This was a meh product for me. it works okay, but doesn't do much. i see it as more of a smaller, more natural lashblast. (my forever HG)
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No