Mascara -Maybelline - Volum' Express The Falsies
ladylazarus62 10/27/2011 1:31:00 AM
Oh, how I want to love this product SO BADLY. The brush is unlike anything I've used... It makes my lashes look incredibly LUSH and dark, without any clumping or flaking. It's seriously effortless. I get a million comments in the morning when I wear this, and people can even tell the difference between when I'm wearing this and other mascaras. However, the formula is really bad. And I mean, bad. I'm not a particularly oily person, but by the end of the day I've got panda eyes when I wear this. WHYYY? It doesn't make any sense, especially because I'm using the waterproof version. If they could update the formula to something smudge-proof but works equally beautifully with the brush, this could easily be a HG product for me.
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Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Powder Brush
ladylazarus62 11/29/2010 9:29:00 PM
As everyone else has said, this brush is PHENOMENAL. I use it for applying mineral foundation in warm weather and for stippling liquid foundation in the winter. The denseness of the bristles makes it absolutely perfect for creating a flawless look, and in very little time. I only ever shop E.L.F. when I can get 50% off or more, so I've never paid more than $1.50 for one of these. I now own two, just in case the first one kicks the bucket (though I've been using it religiously for a year now and it isn't showing any sign of wear... no shedding, etc.) and will definitely be using this as long as I can foresee. I love that these brushes are cruelty-free, incredibly gentle on my skin (so soft!), and easy to clean. Cannot recommend more highly!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Revlon - SPA Age Defying Foundation [DISCONTINUED]
ladylazarus62 11/29/2010 9:21:00 PM
I've been really surprised that Revlon liquid foundations would be my favorites of those I've tried so far, including some rather high-end brands. I only wear liquid foundation in the winter, since my skin is too oily in the T-zone to wear it when the weather is warm. I love Colorstay for the days when I feel like I've got a lot of redness and blemishing to cover up (it makes my skin look flawless when I apply it with a dense stippling brush). But SPA is my go-to foundation these days for when I want medium coverage to even out my complexion when I'm not having too many blemish issues. Instead of the "made-up" matte effect of Colorstay, SPA is much dewier and natural-looking ("fresh-faced," if you will). I also find it blends into my skin easily and is build-able for a range of coverage. Yes, the packaging sucks, but I bought a small generic cosmetics pump bottle, sterilized it, and squeezed the tube of SPA foundation into that. I don't find oxidation or separation to be a problem in the pump bottle, as I go through the product quickly enough. Some reviewers have mentioned that it's a bit pricey for the amount you get, but I always stock up on Revlon foundations when the drugstores have a buy one, get one free sale, so I don't find it breaking the bank at all! The only complaint I have is that I think I'm between shades and it would be nice if this were available in a wider selection of colors, like Colorstay.
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Mascara -Helena Rubinstein - Lash Queen Feline Extravaganza
ladylazarus62 11/29/2010 9:09:00 PM
I bought this mascara on a whim at a duty free store last winter. It was 3800 Japanese yen, which is pretty pricey as far as mascara goes. I was in love with the HR Glorious mascara gifted to me so I wanted to try out another of her products. With it's gorgeous packaging and sexy little brush, I thought it would be a sure winner. Just the tube itself felt very luxurious in my hand. But the formula was too wet, and if I waited to apply a second coat, it got clumpy and weird on my lashes. True, it volumizes, but not in an appealing way at all. I much prefer how lush my lashes look when I use Covergirl Lashblast or Maybelline Colossal (of which you can buy at least 5 or so for this price tag). This mascara does NOT make lashes look lush and smoldery, just coated with lots of product. I gave it a few more tries, and even waited to see if it would improve as the tube dried up a bit, but no dice. It is also VERY difficult to remove, even with oil-based eye makeup remover. I don't like the feeling of scrubbing off my poor natural eyelashes before I go to bed. Despite the luxuriousness of the product, it failed to deliver in terms of function. I cannot recommend it, but I may yet give other HR mascaras a go.
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Mascara -Helena Rubinstein - Glorious
ladylazarus62 12/13/2009 1:19:00 AM
I received this as a gift. I thought that I would never buy Helena Rubinstein mascara because of the price tag, but after using this mascara I've decided that I might invest in HR mascara in the future. I have used SO many mascaras, but this might just be one of the best formulas I've ever come across. It volumizes and curls like it says it will (I never use a lash curler, but I noticed that my lashes DO look curled when using this!), and gives a false lash-effect with 2-3 coats. I recommend not waiting too long to apply the 2nd and 3rd coats because otherwise it is possible that the mascara will start to look clumpy, but I think that's common among all mascaras. The brush is also excellent in that it really packs on the product efficiently- you don't have to spend precious minutes endlessly swiping on a single coat, but can be done with one eye in a matter of seconds. However, the winning factor about this mascara for me is that I can wear this for an entire day without ANY flaking or smudging. I mean, ANY. Many mascaras I've used give beautiful results, but smudge onto my under-eye area or into my crease. This is especially frustrating when I take so much care to cover-up my dark under-eye circles and apply eyeshadow. So I really, REALLY love this mascara because I don't have to worry about it ending up where it doesn't belong. I realize the price-tag is steep, but I think that it is worth it. I will have to see how long the tube lasts before it starts to dry out, but even when it does I will be happy to either buy another tube of this or try another HR mascara!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Primer -E.L.F. - Mineral Eyeshadow Primer
ladylazarus62 10/20/2009 2:58:00 AM
This is the first eye primer I have ever owned, and I honestly do not feel the need to explore other options. This product is AMAZING! I have relatively normal skin on my face, but my eyelids are somewhat oily and both eyeliners and shadows don't like to stay put by themselves. I got by first tube of this primer when E.L.F. was having a 75% off mineral products, so it was only $0.75. After my first use, I was immediately impressed by the staying power it gave to my eye makeup, and the vibrance of the shadows it brings out. I just use one swipe over each eyelid and blend in with my finger up to the brown bone. The product itself has a sort of slippery feel to it even after blended, but it still immediately takes eyeshadow perfectly. I have been using this tube nearly every day for more than a month now and it shows no signs of drying up or running out. I still bought two spare tubes (because it's just SO cheap and excellent!), so I think I'm set for a long time. I HIGHLY recommend this product if you regularly wear eye makeup!
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Eyeliner -Sephora - Nano Eyeliner (any/all)
ladylazarus62 10/20/2009 2:42:00 AM
I have this pencil in black, and like many reviewers have said, it is a remarkably creamy product that is easy to apply. The first several times I used this pencil I had applied an eye primer and eyeshadow, and the pencil line stayed perfectly put all day. My most recent use of this product, however, was in a morning rush when I only applied eyeliner and mascara. I found that the product smudges onto my eyelid/brow area quite consistantly throughout the day without the eye primer, which is a bit disappointing, so I knocked off one lippy. However, I really REALLY love how easy it is to waterline with this pencil, and so long as I use an eye primer, this will be my go-to black eyeliner pencil. I look forward to trying it in other shades!
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Pressed Powders -E.L.F. - Complexion Perfection
ladylazarus62 10/13/2009 8:02:00 AM
I was skeptical about this product when I first used it because I wasn't sure if it was making any difference in evening out my complexion, but I have since used it regularly for several weeks and find myself picking it up each morning for several reasons. First, I have a rosy complexion that makes my dark under-eye area stand out a lot, and I find that mixing the pink and yellow powders of this compact and using it to seal my under-eye concealer, then using the green to cover some of the contrasting pinkness of my cheeks has really evened out my complexion. Second, the powder has a wonderful mattifying property when I sweep my powder brush over all four colors and use it to seal in my foundation and other face products. Other reviewers have said this leaves them ghostly white, but I find that if I am sparing and gentle, it mattifies without leaving me completely pale. The packaging is of course excellent, and I sometimes use the big inner mirror for my whole morning makeup routine! Overall, I think this product is multi-functional and something I'm starting to not be able to live with out. Will certainly think about repurchasing when I hit pan!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Sephora - Jumbo Eye Pencil - 502 Beige
ladylazarus62 10/13/2009 7:54:00 AM
I truly adore these jumbo eye pencils from Sephora! They are so creamy and don't tug at my eyes at all. They can be used as a shadow base or overall lid color, but I find that they can also be used as subtle eyeliners! Number 502 is such a beautiful champagne-beige with just the right amount of shimmer, and when I use it as an eyeliner (especially on the waterline to contrast a dark lid line), it brightens up my eyes beautifully. My other favorite color (that I use almost every day as a basic eyeliner) is 503, which is a stunning plummy purple with a very minimal amount of shimmer. An excellent product at an excellent price- I'm sold, and will certainly be purchasing these again!
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Eyeliner -The Body Shop - Eye Definer
ladylazarus62 10/13/2009 7:43:00 AM
I bought the metallic eye definer in Glowing Amethyst because when I tested it out in the store, I was impressed with the gorgeous shade that would be perfect for my green/hazel eyes. Unfortunately, as others have mentioned about The Body Shop Eye Definer pencils, this one drags pretty hard and painfully across the eye and waterline, and the lasting power is almost nil unless you make sure to seal it with a matching eye shadow. I understand this is a typical step in some people's makeup routines, but I have used many eyeliners that do not require this step and so I find it irritating if I absolutely must seal with shadow. In some ways, it defeats the purpose of the eyeliner in the first place! The lack of staying power is really unfortunate, but I'm not exaggerating- even if I draw a thick line on my hand, it fades almost entirely with a few gentle swipes of my finger. So I am giving this pencil three stars because the color is truly phenomenal (as are the colors of the other metallic pencils, which I tested in-store), but in terms of the overall quality of the product, I was pretty disappointed.
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