BB Cream -L'Oreal - Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream
lalalalila 4/18/2013 1:40:00 AM
At first, I was thrown off by the silver/white color. But true to its description, it blends well and adjusts to your skin tone. I like the exfoliating texture of the "beautifying beads" contained in this cream, and I am guessing that the pigments are released from these beads. This worked really well for me. It gave my skin a nice luminescent glow. It does contain a slight amount of shimmer, but I did not find this too overpowering. I would recommend using a moisturizer with SPF first and letting that soak in before applying this BB cream, since it contains no SPF of its own. The packaging is sleek and clean; it only dispenses a small amount of product per squeeze which eliminates the possibility of a mess. I've tried the Maybelline BB Cream as well, and by far, L'Oreal's is superior. There are only 4 shades but like I mentioned, it really will adjust to your skin. It really does prime my face and smooth my complexion. After applying powder foundation over this, my skin looks virtually flawless. But oftentimes I won't even apply foundation because this looks amazing already on its own. WInner!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -The Body Shop - Vitamin E Moisture Cream
lalalalila 4/18/2013 1:28:00 AM
Although I was skeptical at first, after 2 months of continuous use, I can say that I LOVE this cream. It goes on very smooth and soaks into the skin fairly quickly -- so you don't have globs of moisturizer just sitting on your face like with some other products. SInce this does not have any SPF, I mainly use this at night after washing my face. I've noticed that this helps my pimples heal without blemishes, probably due to the Vitamin E. In the mornings, I mix a little bit of this with my Eucerin SPF 30 moisturizer to help it "blend" into my skin a little more easily. This is a great combination to use during the day! It does have a slight "rose" scent, but I actually find this quite pleasant. The scent is calming and very mild, not overpowering in the least. Although the packaging is cute and attractive, it is not very hygienic since you have to dip your fingers into it. This would be much better with a pump. What I do is shake up the tub and only use the product that sticks to the inside of the lid. I would have given this product 5 stars if it contained SPF and were in a more hygienic container. But all in all, another winter from the TBS
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Concealers -L'Oreal - True Match Super Blendable Crayon Concealer
lalalalila 3/18/2013 10:45:00 PM
I am an NC-40 in MAC and I use the shade N4. No complaints here whatsoever! I'd been searching for my perfect cream concealer and this is it. I use this on the dark circles under my eyes following eye cream and my Revlon Photoready Primer and the result is perfection. True to its name, it is so easy to blend. A light dab of powder over it and I'm good to go. This is also works well when I get the occasional pimple and does a fantastic job at hiding redness. The price is right, the packaging is convenient. I am a fan; I will repurchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Misc Beauty Tools -The Body Shop - Facial Blotting Tissues 
lalalalila 3/18/2013 10:38:00 PM
When it comes to soaking up oil and mattifying your face, these do the job. I only have one major complaint... These sheets contain WAY too much powder. If you dab a sheet on your face without a mirror, you'll look like you just ate a powdered donut. So I've found that shaking the sheet off a few times before applying it works out much better. Other than that, it's a good product. Great to toss in your purse for touch-ups (just make sure you have a mirror).
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -The Body Shop - All-In-One Face Base
lalalalila 3/16/2013 3:16:00 AM
Since my Mark Powderbuff Foundation has been getting down to the nitty-gritty, I'd been searching for a replacement that I don't have to order online. So I curiously stumbled into The Body Shop a couple weeks ago and have found myself in love with a bunch of their products, namely this one. This costs $22 USD. A bit pricey, but TBS frequently has promotions and deals on their products, such as Buy 2, Get 1 Free, etc. Those are the best days to buy their make-up as their products are on the pricier side The color selection isn't very plentiful as there are only 8 shades, and nothing is available for darker-skinned girls. My skin tone falls between Medium and Tan depending on the season (around an NC 40 in MAC) and the darkest shade (065) matches me quite well. It looked as though all the 7 shades besides the darkest one (mine) had a beige undertone while mine was the lone shade with a warm golden undertone. I've used MAC Studio Fix PowderPlus Foundation in the past and I'd say that TBS All-In-One Face Base is very comparable in terms of texture and coverage. I buff this onto my face using a synthetic flat-top kabuki and it goes on wondrously smooth and does not look cakey at all. I love how it gives my complexion an even, creamy, and flawless look. In fact, I'd say this gives me the best coverage out of any powder foundation I've ever tried. When I use this in conjunction with my TBS Bronzing Powder in Deep Matte (04), the result for me is a very natural-looking healthy glow. I live in a moderately hot area of California and am happy to report that this doesn't melt off my face in the heat or require multiple re-applications throughout the day. It is also very good to the oily-prone parts of my face (t-zone), which is very rare for me to find in a product. One thing I do dislike is that this product lists Talc as its first ingredient, which is the main reason I stopped using MAC Studio Fix. But so far, I haven't noticed any breakouts and this foundation hasn't triggered my eczema. A lot of reviewers have complained about the packaging, but I actually think the packaging is sleek and very cute. This also does not contain any SPF, which does not bother me since I use an SPF 30 moisturizer every day before applying makeup. Foundations with SPF also tend to white-out your face in flash photography so the lack of SPF does not necessarily have to be a bad thing. This is a great product, but I will most likely finish it up and then search for something that does not contain Talc. But props to TBS for not testing on animals and for using fair-trade ingredients in their products.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Organix - Ever Straight Brazilian Keratin Therapy
lalalalila 1/24/2012 9:28:00 PM
I'm writing this review on the Keratin Shampoo and Conditioner as a duo. I've always been curious about Organix products, so when Rite Aid was having a BOGO, I bought this lovely duo, along with a handful of other Organix products. At around $7 a bottle, these are a really good buy and they work just as well as a salon product. The gold and bronze bottles are very pretty and classy looking. This has a really pleasant cocoa buttery scent that reminds me of cupcakes :) When using a shampoo, I always look for a nice, rich lather and this shampoo does that, which I like. I like that it's a thicker liquid and not runny/watery like some other shampoos I've tried. It rinses out nicely and leaves my hair squeaky clean. I follow up with the Keratin conditioner, which I leave in for 3-5 minutes. The conditioner rinses out buttery smooth and leaves my hair luxuriously soft. The scent also lingers long after my hair has dried, which is great. My hair is really thick, slightly wavy and tends to become frizzy, especially when I let it air dry without the aid of heat-styling. But this shampoo and conditioner leaves my hair smooth and as straight as it can get without a flat iron, so I actually feel comfortable letting it air dry. All in all, I love this shampoo/conditioner and this entire line. After towel-drying, I follow up with the Keratin Anti-Breakage serum and also use the Keratin Flat Iron spray prior to straightening. I'd definitely recommend this for other wavy-haired and potentially frizzy-haired gals like myself. HG material for sure!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Garnier - Fructis 3 Minute Undo Dryness Reversal Treatment Triple Nutritrion
lalalalila 1/24/2012 8:12:00 PM
I went through quite a few tubes of this before switching to Organix Moroccan Argan Oil treatment. I used it in conjunction with the Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine shampoo and conditioner. I used this pretty frequently -- maybe every other wash and at least once a week. I'd use my Sleek and Shine shampoo and then substitute this treatment for my regular conditioner and leave it in for 3-5 minutes. I loved the way it felt in my hair while I massaged it in. It also made my hair feel luxuriously soft while I was rinsing it out and for the whole day afterwards. It really did make a difference in the texture of my hair, which is usually dry, frizzy and damaged from heat-styling. It also smells wonderful, which is always a plus. The packaging is also very convenient: a squeeze tube, as opposed to the screw-lid jar that Organix Moroccan Argan Oil comes in. Overall, this is a good product for a reasonable price. But I wouldn't purchase again just because I found something else that I like more. I'd recommend this for anyone who already uses Garnier Fructis shampoo and conditioner and wants/needs to give their hair a little extra TLC.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Shampoo -Clairol - Herbal Essences Hello Hydration 2 in 1 Moisturizing Shampoo + Conditioner
lalalalila 1/24/2012 7:34:00 PM
I've always been a fan of the Herbal Essences line; so when i was searching for a 2 in 1 shampoo/conditioner for the mornings when I'm short on time, this is where my search landed. I have very thick, long, black hair that is frequently dry from heat styling so the name "Hello Hydration" appealed to me. If there's one thing my hair needs, it's definitely hydration. The pleasant, fruity with a hint of coconut scent also helped draw me in. However, when I started using this product, I was far from impressed. To be fair, I gave it a good amount of trial time -- I used up at least 1/4 of the bottle on numerous washes, trying to see if frequent use would make a difference. First of all, it didn't lather very well. It just kind of sat in my hair like a heavy mask. And it was difficult to spread throughout my hair. Upon rinsing it out, it didn't make my hair feel soft and squeaky clean like most shampoos do. I've let my hair air dry after use and have also tried my normal blow-dry/straightening routine, only to get the exact same result: frizzy, rough hair that definitely was NOT hydrated in the least bit. I really liked the None of Your Frizziness shampoo/conditioner Herbal Essences duo so I thought that this would be a winner as well...but nope. I have since discovered Organix Keratine Therapy Shampoo and Conditioner and THAT is my HG. This product is a dud, but it gets one lippy for it's great scent.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -NYX - Jumbo Eye Shadow Pencil - Milk
lalalalila 1/24/2012 2:32:00 PM
This and Black Bean are my essential jumbo eye shadow pencils. Milk is a pure, matte white. I use this in addition to a primer (UDPP) all over my lids to enhance my eyeshadow and make them appear more true-to-color. I like to use this for darker colors such as green and blue because it really makes them "pop." This is also useful for highlighting the brow bone and inner corners of your eyes. This will crease if used on its own, so a primer is necessary if you want staying power. At less than $3 a pop, this and all the other jumbo eye pencils are a great buy. You can find NYX at Ulta, but I've found that they're cheaper at small, Asian beauty supply stores. Just be sure to not push the lid on too tight, as they can crack easily.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -Revlon - PhotoReady Color Correcting Primer (color 002)
lalalalila 1/24/2012 2:24:00 PM
This is a great primer! It's light pink with a smooth, gel-like consistency -- it's not oily/greasy in texture like the Smashbox primer, which is a major plus. The packaging is very cute and convenient. It comes in the same pump-bottle as the Photoready foundation. I apply this after I've let my moisturizer sink in, wait a few minutes and then apply my foundation. It works great underneath the Photoready foundation and also underneath powder and mineral foundations. I have a few small crater-ish scars from past blemishes and I feel that this primer fills them in and creates a smooth surface for my concealer and foundation to go over. As for color correcting, I think this really does work for that at least a little bit. My redness becomes less obvious and after concealer and foundation disappears altogether. With the combination of this primer and setting powder/mineral veil, my make-up really does last all throughout the day. At around $11-12, this is a little pricey for a drugstore product, but look out for frequent BOGOs on Revlon. I only use about half a pump for my entire face, so this 1.5 ounce bottle will probably last me quite a while.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Nehru Eyeshadow
lalalalila 1/22/2012 9:57:00 PM
This is a matte black eyeshadow with a slight blue tint. To me, the blue-ish tint is only noticeable in the pan but when I apply it, it doesn't look any different from MAC Carbon. My main use for this is to set my pencil eyeliner on my waterline, which it works GREAT for. But I also use this to darken the outer corners of my eyes when I'm doing a silver/black smokey eye look. Although this works well for me, I feel that $14 is pretty steep for a plain, matte black eyeshadow. For much less, you could find yourself many other affordable alternatives such as NYX. I've had this for more than 2 years now and I still haven't hit pan. This will probably last me forever since I only use it to set my eyeliner with. All in all, a good product but by no means essential or HG.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Ecotools - retractable kabuki
lalalalila 1/22/2012 9:49:00 PM
I absolutely love this retractable kabuki! It works great for pretty much everything: mineral make-up, powder foundation, cream foundation, and even liquid foundation. It blends any product like a dream! It's extremely convenient to carry around in your purse or make-up bag for touch ups. Using a retractable kabuki as opposed to those cheap little sponge applicators that come with powders is a lot more sanitary. These can be easily cleaned and re-used, while sponge applicators collect bacteria and oil and can cause or worsen break-outs. This brush is also super soft which I LOVE. It's also synthetic and animal cruelty-free. I've washed mine numerous times now and doesn't shed at all. At around $7, this is a MUST-HAVE.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Pressed Powders -MAC - Blot Powder
lalalalila 1/22/2012 9:38:00 PM
This product is a staple in my make-up bag! I'm an NC40-43 and I use the shade Medium/Dark. It looks a little light in the pan, but this powder is essentially colorless. It's great to carry for touch-ups and works well as a setting powder for liquid or cream foundation. This also works well to offset bronzer or blush if you applied too much -- just dust a little bit over your bronzer/blush with a powder brush and it looks great. This works amazing at mattifying your face if you're oily. I don't use the enclosed applicator (which cultivates bacteria) but instead apply this with my Ecotools retractable kabuki brush. It's also great that this doesn't contain pore-clogging talc or bismuth oxychloride -- that's actually the main reason I purchased this. My only gripe with this product is that the powder is too soft. It cracked in my make-up bag and now I have a huge chunk of it missing from the pan. :(
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Moisturizers -Clean & Clear - Oil-Free Dual Action Moisturizer
lalalalila 1/22/2012 9:31:00 PM
I've been using this moisturizer for over 2 years now. I usually use this when it's that "time of the month" for me and I'm most prone to break-outs. I only apply this to my problem areas, as I have sensitive dry patches (eczema) that tend to get inflamed if I use salicylic acid products on them. I usually only apply this at night. It does a great job of keeping my break-outs at bay. If you're going to use this during the day, I would recommend applying sunscreen or another moisturizer with high SPF over it because the salicylic acid ingredient makes skin more sensitive to UV rays. As an added bonus, this moisturizer smells absolutely wonderful!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Colorburst Lip Butter in Pink Truffle
lalalalila 1/22/2012 9:23:00 PM
This is currently my favorite lip product! I would describe the color as a neutral pink-brown. It looks great with my NC40-43 coloring. The tone is just perfect if you want a natural-looking splash of color on your lips. It looks great when paired with smokey eyes and other dark eyeshadow colors. I also love the texture of this! True to its name, it glides on buttery-smooth. I don't have the problem of peeling and feathering the way I do with other lipsticks, namely MAC. But just for reference, I still use a lip balm (Burt's Bees Pomegranate) before I apply this. The packaging is also really cute: candy colored textured tubes. The names of every lipstick in this line are really cute as well :) Pink Truffle is a winner. Will definitely repurchase!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No