Liquid -Revlon - PhotoReady Makeup
kirstabelle 6/7/2011 7:09:00 PM
I bought this because I really like Maybelline Fit Me, but Maybelline still tests on animals and I am trying to phase products like that out. I read reviews and saw youtube vids that claimed this was like color stay for dry skinned people and that it had a dewy finish etc. I haven't tried colorstay because I don't like full coverage and I don't usually like matte foundations, so I can't compare but figured this would be a good foundation for my dry skin. I am shade 120 in Fit Me, and 118 in MUFE HD and I picked the color 003 Shell in Photoready. Color range is good overall and this was a good match for my skin tone. I did not like this foundation very much. I found that it didn't blend well, dries quickly and not as dewy as I like. It seems to sit on top of the skin and accentuated dry areas of my skin, even areas that didn't look dry to start with. It also seemed to make my nose pores look really noticeable, which I've never experienced before. Coverage is decent but I just don't think it looks natural. Looks sort of mask like, I think I prefer a sheerer more blendable application. To get this looking decent I first apply with my fingers and then blend it out with my beautyblender. Can't get an even application with this otherwise. I use moisturizer, primer and eye cream under this for reference. I also applied my garnier rollerball eye cover up stuff which usually blends well with Fit Me and MUFE but with this it all caked into my lines and looked all weird. On first application I didn't see the sparkle others talk about, but later in the day after the make up started to wear I could see noticeable shimmer, especially under my eyes, so now I had caked up sparkling eye wrinkles. Great. This is obviously way cheaper than MUFE, but twice the price of Fit Me, and I didn't find it as good as either of those products. It reminds me of Loreal True Match, same consistency and appearance on my skin, although you get the pump bottle with this which is a plus. Just a typical DS foundation. Unimpressed.
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Cleansers -Earth Science - A-D-E Creamy Cleanser
kirstabelle 4/14/2011 4:37:00 PM
I love this. I already loved the Almond-Aloe moisturizer so have been trying more of their products lately. My skin is mostly dry with slight oiliness on my nose and t-zone and prone to blocked pores on my nose. I had been looking for something to replace Cetaphil, which doesn't dry me out but which has horrible chemicals ingredients and is not cruelty free. Yuck. So, this is very gentle, smells like these fruit salad flavor candies I used to eat as a kid and it really gets my skin clean but without drying it out. My skin feels cleaner than it does with cetaphil, and this is better at removing make up, especially eye make up. I still use eye make up remover but this cleanser gets off way more than my cetaphil did. So good, will repurchase forever. Oh and packaging is supremely awesome and love that it is so cheap and available at Whole Foods.
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Primer/ Corrector -Korres - Quercetin & Oak Antiageing Face Primer
kirstabelle 4/12/2011 11:00:00 AM
I got this for a couple of reasons. The first being that I have been using Maybelline FitMe foundation which I really like and its way cheaper than my usual MUFE HD, the only issue I had was that it doesn't last the whole day without powder, especially on my nose and t-zone, and I prefer a dewy natural look that the flat powdered matte look, so I wanted to use primer rather than powder to solve that. Second, silicone based primers are pretty much the only thing that break me out, so I needed and alternative that would be better for my skin. Third, at 29 I have some minor fine lines on my forehead and around my eyes that I was hoping this product might help with. So, am I satisfied? Yes, I actually am! I have been using it for about a week now and it has not broken me out, it also feels much lighter than things like Loreal Studio Secrets, Too Faced, Primed and Poreless, and even the Bare Escentuals primer that I tried ages ago. It does mimic that super smooth feeling that other primers give, it just doesn't feel so heavy and plasticky. You only need a very small amount to cover your face. Upon initial application I squeezed out a little bit that I figured would cover at least my forehead and maybe my eye area, but I was surprised that this tiny amount spread so well and so easily that it did my whole face. It has a very light sweet orange scent that goes away very quickly once the product dries down, which also happens very quickly. It definitely helps my make up last, especially on my nose and t-zone. Overall I have dry skin, and I only have issues with my nose really, but I could see a noticeable difference in how my foundation wears with this. I also noticed easier blending when applying foundation over this. I think it also helps my eye shadows and blushes stay in place better too. The product claims to instantly plump up lines and wrinkles, and that's a little far fetched. Sure, it does seem to help some, especially on my forehead, but its nothing out of this world spectacular. I am hoping to see some difference over longer term use since it has antiageing ingredients and antioxidants etc, but the "instant" thing does not seem accurate. One lippy off for outrageous claims, lol. Packaging is perfect. Squeeze tube with a small opening and I LOVE that rich brown slightly shimmery color Korres packaging has. Overall, I think this is a great product for extending the wear of your daily make up, it is not a miracle worker and may not be that great for people with oilier skins. If you are really looking for something that is going to make your foundation last 36 hours in humidity etc, then you probably need something with silicone, or at least something heavier duty than an all-natural product. I think this is good for someone looking for a light primer with skincare benefits for everyday use. Oh yeah and I wanted to add that I got this at Sephora and they currently have a full size of this in a set along with a full size liquid lipstick, full size mascara and sample size day cream from the same range for $39, and the primer alone is usually $33. Total score because I like the liquid lipstick very much, and the mascara, while a very natural look is also nice.
10 out of 10 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Alba Botanica - Sea Plus Renewal Night Cream 
kirstabelle 3/17/2011 12:09:00 PM
I got this because of the super affordable price and the list of ingredients and benefits it offered. Unfortunately I have only been able to use it a few times because the smell is unbearable. It smells like aftershave, or one of those "ocean fresh" room sprays you keep in the bathroom. The smell is so strong that I recoil from the tub when I open it and then when I put it on my face I can smell it for a while afterwards, and it lingers on my fingers and then when I wash my face in the morning I can smell it again. Yuck. I have no idea why a company would put this amount of fragrance into something you use on your face. It does make my skin feel smooth in the morning, but its not worth it. Returning, will never repurchase.
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Mascara -Christian Dior - Diorshow Mascara
kirstabelle 3/10/2011 10:06:00 PM
I got the little tester sizes of this regular formula and Black Out from Sephora because I wanted to see what all the hype was about. Glad I didn't spend the $$ on the regular size because this is really just "meh". I have short, sparse lashes and a little face with quite deeply set eyes. I just find the giant brush pretty unwieldy and I ALWAYS get mascara on my eyelid when I go right in to get my roots. That's annoying because I know I need to get in nice and close because of my lash type, but I just can't do it with the clunky brush. Its funny because I compared the brush to my Revlon Grow Luscious and that one is almost identical except the Revlon is a tiny bit slimmer, which seems to make all the difference because that one I love, and it is WAAAY cheaper. I did not experience the flaking or smudging, I did find it a bit clumpy and very spidery on my bottom lashes. Just not worth the price at all, you know? Should be spectacular, and do things no DS mascara can, but nope, just "MEH" Pigmentation on the Black Out version is pretty awesome though, FWIW.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Paint Pot in Soft Ochre
kirstabelle 3/2/2011 8:43:00 PM
I got this to use as an everyday base for my eyeshadows. I chose this color over other paint pots because I wanted the yellow base to neutralize my blue toned, veiny pigmented eyelids. I haven't tried too many bases, just nyx jumbo pencils (which I like, but they do not come in a shade like this) udpp (which I found difficult to blend over, maybe because my skin is dry?) and then concealer, and other regular all-over face primers (which I cannot wear because they always break me out and are the only things that do) This neutralizes really well, and is a great match for my NC20-25 skin tone, I am 118/125 in MUFE HD and 120 in Maybelline Fit Me. I almost always top it with brulee (I use the cheap wet and wild version - which is awesome and only 1.99 vs 11.00 in pan form from MAC) and that creates a perfect base for my shadows. I understand what some reviewers are saying about the dry feel upon application, but I feel like its more of a tacky feeling but not sticky, it does not feel like primer though, that super smooth creamy feeling. I do think this makes the shadows stick better to the lid and with a sweep of brulee to begin I do not have issues blending out colors on top. You do have to apply it and get it where you want fairly quickly though, so that it remains easy to blend out the actual paint pot product. In terms of shadows lasting longer, I do see a difference between using this and foundation alone. And I find it on par with UDPP in terms of lasting power, and I did not have problems with creasing from either of those products. I think it lasts better than nyx jumbo pencils too. I haven't noticed it intensifying the colors of my shadows, I do think it has definitely helped in making my shadows appear on my eyes closer to the pan color just because they no longer compete with my eyelid pigment. So that's ideal, really, and the reason I bought it. I do not mind that its in a jar, I think you get loads of product for the price and I know this will last me a really long time, so as far as MAC products go, I think this is actually pretty cheap. Will repurchase... eventually! The SA told me to screw the lid on super tight as this product will dry out easily.
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Maybelline - Fit Me Foundation
kirstabelle 3/1/2011 7:43:00 PM
UPDATE: Ugh, even though I still really like this foundation, I did not realize that Maybelline still tests on animals. So I cannot repurchase this since I am eliminating everything I have that is not cruelty free. Jerks! Wow. I admit it, I had sworn off DS foundations for many reasons, particularly oxidizing, not blending well, horrible shade selection, lack of testers etc etc etc. But something about this foundation appealed to me, I guess their marketing campaign worked. Maybe the shiny black lid reminiscent of MUFE HD or the Nars esque font on the label or the narrow square Diorskin-like bottle .... hmmmm... cunning Maybelline, cunning. I picked up shade #120 and it is unbelievably perfect. I have never found a shade so perfect in HE or DS foundation. I use MUFE HD in 125 in summer and 118 in winter... and I love it, deeply, but it is $42... this is $6.99. Yes, it is light coverage, much more than a TM but a bit less than MUFE HD and not as buildable, although I find MUFE HD to be firmly in the medium coverage category, I definitely see my skin though MUFE, and I see my skin through this. Fit Me blends incredibly well, evens out my skintone completely. It feels so good on, luxurious, like a MUCH more expensive product. It does not dry as quickly as MUFE HD so you don't have to do your face in areas. I use my fingers to apply both products and feel that both offer that great natural look. Neither are super matte and I like that. My skin is dry, not sensitive and not prone to break outs, I do find Fit Me to have less lasting power than MUFE HD if I do not set with powder, and that's fine considering the massive price difference. If I set Fit Me with ELF HD powder or MUFE HD powder it looks amazing and lasts the whole work day and longer. Cons of Fit Me- no pump, but for the price that's fine, I will wash out an old MUFE HD bottle and transfer the product, the same amount is in both. I did try screwing the MUFE pump directly onto the fit me bottle but it doesn't work, the neck of Fit Me is too wide. Only other con is the smell, grandma, powdery violet smell masking that typical "drugstore foundation" scent. Not nice, but I can also live with that. I think I am used to my MUFE HD which really has no smell. But I expect that from HE, that's like a HE foundation requirement for me. I am so beyond impressed with this product. If you have dry skin, are looking for light to medium coverage I think its worth trying. I would be hesitant to recommend for ppl with sensitive skin (the fragrance is quite strong), very oily skin (I do not think it will last, maybe with primer and powder, but not sure) or people with serious skin issues who need/want a lot of coverage (this is not very buildable). For me this will be my everyday foundation for work and weekends, and my MUFE HD will become my special occassion foundation. I am so happy to save SO MUCH money. I love you so much right now Maybelline!!!!!
11 out of 13 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Cover Girl - Exact Eyelights
kirstabelle 3/1/2011 9:35:00 AM
Gimmicky. Bought this is Black Gold for Hazel eyes, I have green-hazel eyes. Figured I would try it out since colored DS mascaras are few and far between. The color is nothing special, I have been looking at it in all different lights and it is barely noticeable. Its like a black brown. Boring. A previous reviewer is spot on about the formula creating spikey lashes. Clumpy, not very good at separating. Okay lengthening, works well on my lower baby lashes. Much nicer DS mascaras available with better results, and since the color of this is subpar there's really no reason to get this one. My "Dark Brown" Nyx mascara looks way better on my hazel eyes, more flattering color ie color you can actually see, nicer separation, and definition and half the price of this, but smaller tube. OMG and I forgot to add that the brush is one of the stupidest I have seen, tiny, spindly little rubber pokers. What is that going to do!? Nothing!! Dislike mascaras that do not come with real brushes with bristles.
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Lotions/ Creams -Essie - smoothies
kirstabelle 3/1/2011 9:27:00 AM
Picked up three of the little baby bottles on sale for 99c at my local beauty supply. Bought three because I love Essie and figured these would be good and so cheap. One for home, purse and work. I bought the kiwi lime and Pear and Fig scents. They smell nice. The formula is quite runny and goes on sort of wet feeling. Dries very quickly, but not very moisturizing. Its more like a body lotion than something designed for hands. I might save these for summer, because it doesn't really cut it for my super dry winter hands. Dislike the bottle shape and stiffness, hard to squeeze out the product. Maybe the larger sizes dispense better though. Would not repurchase, glad they were cheap.
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Lipstick -Korres - Guava Moisturising Intense Colour #17 Pink
kirstabelle 2/26/2011 4:17:00 PM
I bought this by accident, I was trying to buy the mango version in the same color but the SA at Sephora gave me the wrong box and I didn't realize there were two types of Korres lipstick in the same shade. But, I am glad about it because this is a seriously awesome product. The color is VERY similar to MAC Creme Cup, its is maybe slightly deeper but not noticeably so. The color lasts longer than Creme Cup and the formulation is much more hydrating. I also got the little tub of lip butter in the same purchase and this I found more moisturizing than that too. It actually smells similar to MAC lipsticks, that light vanilla scent. It basically tasteless, too. Nice pigmentation, I am glad I ended up with this rather than the Mango one since that is more sheer. In terms of lastig power I can have this last for about 4hrs without re-applying and even after 4 hours the color is still even and still looks good, and my lips do still feel nice, but I touch up because I like it to look fresh. That was 4hrs without eating drinking etc, there is a little transfer, but negligible. Packaging is nice, I like the shimmer chocolate colored packaging, nice change from all the black packaging of other HE lipsticks. My only peeve with this product is the price- $22 for .06 oz versus Mac 14.50 for .1 oz. I di say I would re-purchase because it is a nice product and worthy of repurchasing, but at the same time its pretty exy and I am sure I will be swayed by MAC or other high quality but less expensive brands before I repurchase this.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Korres - Lip Butter - Pomegranate
kirstabelle 2/25/2011 4:36:00 PM
I really like the color, texture, smell and no-taste aspects of this product, but I did not find it moisturizing at all. So I cannot give it more than a 3 since it is called "lip butter" and does claim to offer "deep hydration" which I don't think it does. And for the price I expect more in this area. I was expecting it to be more like Fresh Sugar lip treatment. I have to use my regular chapstick underneath for it not feel uncomfortably dry. I also dislike the tub container for lip products, in general.
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Mascara -Givenchy - Eye Fly
kirstabelle 2/2/2011 9:15:00 PM
Wow. I have been waiting to write a review of this because sometimes a mascara seems good at the start and then the texture changes or whatever and gets not so good. I have been using this regularly for about three weeks, and it is awesome. I have it in Blue, so I am going to go back for black and brown. I originally chose this because I was specifically looking for a blue mascara, and there are very few drugstore options and after checking out the other blue options at Sephora (some of which looked a little too crazy bright) I chose this. It dries darker than it looks in the tube, almost navy but brighter than a traditional navy mascara and I find it a very nice muted blue color for pale skin, and it looks really pretty in the sunlight or under bright lights. I have green-hazel eyes and dark blonde hair, for reference. I wear this to the office, at night, its a very versatile blue mascara, subtle but unusual. Highly recommend to those wanting to try a bluw mascara but not wanting to have people look at them and be like "oh look, blue mascara" lol So clearly, I like this color a lot. The reason I want to go back for the other colors is because of the formula. It is not super dramatic, but much more impactful than some of the other "natural" looking mascaras. And its sooooo buildable. You can pile it on, more and more and more and it doesn't clump. Its like a miracle. So you can do a little for the office and get lovely natural lashes and then you can use more for a more dramatic look when you want it. It really thickens and lengthens each individual lash, and I have short, sparse lashes so that is super good for me. I can't do clumping, too few lashes to start that clumps make me look like I have five lashes! For me the brush is THE perfect size and shape. I am partial to smaller brushes, but this one isn't tiny. And its nice and bushy and not a plastic piece of junk that does zero. Love this stuff, HG HE mascara for sure. Most definitely will re-purchase, this shade and the others to try.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -Sephora - Precision Pore Cleansing Pad
kirstabelle 1/8/2011 12:15:00 PM
I bought this because of all the good reviews, and it sounded like it would fix some issues I'd been having - and it did! The main reason I wanted it is because I have overall dry skin, but I do get blocked pores and blackheads on my nose, its the only place on my face that my pores are noticeable. I like to use a gentle cleanser otherwise my skin gets all tight and feels horrible and I get flaky patches etc, but I feel like they gentle cleansers don't always get off all my make up/sunscreen/moisturizers what not and that's what I think blocks my nose pores. This little pink thing has fixed everything! This is going to sound a bit gross, but after the first use I could see an immediate difference in my blocked pores, and I could see gunk sitting on the surface instead of trapped inside, so the first few times I actually cleansed my nose using cetaphil and the scrublet over again just to get all the gunk out and the difference in my pores is amazing! Over the last week I have been using it twice a day and my nose pores are less visible and much clearer. The rest of my face is softer and feels cleaner. I have also only used my facial scrub once, instead of using a frequently. It also gets all my make up off in only one washing, I used to have to wash twice with cetaphil to get it all off. I still have to use eye make up remover of course because I don't use the scrublet on my eye area, but that's fine. The way I hold it is that I put the little suction cup handle thing in between my two middle fingers with all my fingertips flat underneath so that I get nice even pressure across the whole pad. Because its so flexible you can really get into those little corner areas of your nose, which is great! For $5 this is so worth it, because for me it means I use less cleanser because it works more efficiently with the scrublet, and I use much less facial scrub because it exfoliates while cleansing, and the tool will last a long time, so it has paid for itself and saved me money on top of that. I really recommend this little thing and am planning to buy a back up for my travel kit so that I will always have one around.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Revlon - Perle Eyeshadow Singles
kirstabelle 1/3/2011 4:49:00 PM
I got this in Black Galaxy for free when I bought the Grow Luscious Mascara. I really like the mascara, but the shadow is nothing special. In the pan and swatched it is very similar to Urban Decay Creep in color but not intensity. Its quite sheer, not a deep black, more charcoal, you do get some fall out and the glitter particles are not as small as in Creep. Its pretty in a smokey eye, but definitely not very pigmented and not something I will use much, or re-purchase. Its not terrible, nice to get for free or on sale.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Volum' Express The Falsies
kirstabelle 1/3/2011 4:01:00 PM
Crap! Runniest, messiest mascara ever. Crazy huge brush that glues all my lashes together, smears wet mascara all over my eyelids, it does make your eyelashes appear longer but not in a good way. The ends of my lashes (of which it looks like there are about 7 chunky lashes because of the clumping) have those horrid little spindly fibers on the end, all crooked and gross. And even when it seems like it is all off at the end of the day I wake up in the morning with those little fibers in the corners of my eyes. Yuck. Total waste of money. Since I MUST give it one lippy, it gets that lippy for being a true black formula. Which looks awesome splashed all over your eyelid and brow bone because it takes ages to dry!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No