Brows -Wet 'n' Wild - Ultimate Brow Kit
laurenb222 1/13/2011 7:11:00 PM
This brow kit is amazing on its own, forgetting that it is super cheap. But it is also super cheap. I have pretty dark brows that are somewhat sparse. I use the lighter color and that can be a little dark if I don't put a little finishing powder on there too. The darkest color looks like I have caterpillars hanging out over my eyes. The brow wax is OK, I don't really use it that much. But this product stays on all day and on those occasions (every night) that I go to bed without washing my face, all night too. I've had this product for about 4 months and with almost daily use, just hit pan. I guess my only complaint about this product is that I don't really know what to do with the darker color. I suppose I could use it as an eyeliner, but I'm a liquid liner gal. The packaging is pretty normal, plastic WNW packaging. It comes with a mirror (bonus!) which is great for purse or travel. Also, the kit comes with a mini pair of tweezers and a mini brush which is actually OK in a pinch. I use the UD brow brush with this though. The tweezers are actually pretty good, I was pleasantly surprised by that. This kit is great for travel because of the extras - brush, tweezers & mirror - you can leave a few products behind. I guess you can also leave your eyeliner and just use the darker shade instead! Overall, can't really complain about anything. This is a great product and I will repurchase.
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Cleansers -Boscia - Clear Complexion Cleanser with Botanical Blast
laurenb222 10/30/2010 8:56:00 PM
I love, love, love this cleanser! I believe I have found the HG of facial cleansers! I bought this because I was having a horrible time with blackheads all over my face (nose, chin, cheeks, temples!). Somehow (I don't remember how), I was informed that this product would deep clean your pores and clear up blackheads. It most certainly does. The packaging is smart (pump dispenser) and the cleanser is a gel that smells good without being overpowering. I only need about 1/2 pump to wash my whole face. It doesn't lather for me as well as other cleansers, but that is not really important to me. While the pricetag is somewhat alarming ($22 I think), considering that a little goes a long way and that it is awesome, it's worth the price. I do not use this everyday because, as other posters have noted, it can be drying. I alternate with an exfoliating cleanser and use this roughly three times a week. Will repurchase when I run out. Definitely.
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Makeup Brushes -Stila - #7 Crease Brush
laurenb222 9/13/2010 2:19:00 PM
Love this brush. I have had terrible luck with crease brushes in the past. This is the 8th one that I've tried and it was by accident. I actually have the short-handled one and it came in a set of stila brushes. I have always thought my smokey eye was destined to be crappy forever - until I discovered this brush. It is very soft, packs on the color and deposits it right where it needs to go. I have also used this as an all-over shadow brush and blending brush when I travel. It is very versatile when you need it to be. Will buy again if I ever have to.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Stila - Stay All Day Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
laurenb222 9/9/2010 9:58:00 PM
I bought this liner for $20 or $22 because of the reviews on MUA and I've been using it basically every day for the last 3 weeks. I agree with other posters that this liner stays all day (as promised) and goes on smoothly. The application is easy and tip is soft. The product itself is not drying and is very black. It is definitely waterproof but comes off easily with my Almay eye makeup remover pads. Also, doesn't smudge at all. There is where my love ends for this product. I usually have to put 2-3 layers of the product on to get the look I'm after so, that may be my problem, but by about 3:00 pm, the eyeliner looks like it's cracking. Gross! Also, while it doesn't "smudge," it does seems to come off in little chunks if you rub your eyes. I have a stressful job so I spend a lot of time pinching the area of my nose in between my eyes. If I do this more than two times, the liner starts coming off so I end the day with a line that stops before the inner corner of my eyes. Overall a decent product, but for the price, I'd expect more. I'll use this up but won't repurchase.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Primer/ Corrector -L'Oreal - Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base
laurenb222 9/4/2010 12:41:00 PM
After being disappointed by Smashbox (on so many levels), I too hunted this down. While the sticker price is expensive (about $12 USD for .5 oz compared to about $17 USD for the same about of Smashbox), I was able to get this on sale for $9 with a $2 off coupon and 20% off at Ulta. I don't think I would have bought it for full price considering the amount. I agree with just about everyone else here that the packaging sucks - it comes in a little tub and you have to dig out the product with your finger. The product itself feels a little like paste going on and is somewhat difficult to spread. That makes it hard to get an even application. Once you do get it on though, it makes skins feel incredibly smooth and matte. This is, I think, the only upside. If this product were worn alone, it might be a better product. I don't have large pores or lines so I can't comment on this product's claims to fill them. I suspect, however, this may be a really good product for mature skin. Once the make-up goes on, this product loses all points. My makeup did not stay on past 3:00 p.m. and my skin was more oily. I was blotting by 11:00 a.m. I usually don't have to start blotting until mid afternoon. Given the price tag and limited usefulness of this product, I will not be repurchasing.
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Lips -Tarte - Natural Lip Stain (New Jumbo Pens)
laurenb222 8/15/2010 11:53:00 AM
I am loving this product! I wish, however, that it were called something else. The product goes on smooth and feels much like a lip balm instead of a stain. The colors are all really amazing. I have my doubts about the claims that the product is a "stain" and that it increases lip moisture by 6000%. While the color lasts several hours, I have found that after three or four hours, what is left is a soft hint of color and requires another application for full effect. Sometimes, this is good for me, sometimes not - depends on your mood I guess. Further, while my lips feel amazing during and after the wearing of this product, I don't know that they are 6000 times more moisturized. Maybe they are but that seems like a ridiculous thing to even say. Product is also very expensive. All of that said, it is worth it. The colors are great and they last relatively long. The product really does moisturize lips a lot. Will buy again today!
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Great Lash Mascara
laurenb222 7/31/2010 12:43:00 PM
This is not a good mascara for anyone serious about wearing mascara. It is like putting black water on your eyelashes. It adds no volume or length at all. This is, however, a good product to buy for a teenage girl who wants to wear make-up but who you don't think is "ready." It will be a kind of mean trick, but she won't know about three or five years. If you want a real mascara, buy almost anything else.
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Foundations -Smashbox - High Definition Healthy FX Foundation
laurenb222 7/31/2010 12:16:00 PM
I really like this foundation overall, however, it is not for everyone. The coverage is buildable, but that takes some patience. It goes on very sheer. I have a very uneven skintone and have found that one pump gives me enough coverage and evens out my skin perfectly. This foundation will not stay very long if you do not use a primer and set with a powder. That makes the whole ordeal very expensive, considering the foundation itself is over $40. While the foundation is great overall, I probably won't repurchase just because of the price.
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Blush -L'Oreal - True Match super-blendable blush
laurenb222 7/24/2010 10:57:00 AM
I have no idea why I bought this blush in the first place, but I have had it for a year and I use it several times a week. There is still no dip - at all! This blush is very pigmented, so a little will go a long way. The product is also finely milled and super blendable. I have had days when I have gone overboard with the product and have no problem just blending it away! This is really a great blush for a drugtore product. The problems with this blush are the packaging and the price. There is a mirror on the bottom of the compact which is just awkward and the brush that comes with the blush, imo, is basically useless. While this is a really good product, at $10-$12 USD, unless you have a coupon or find a sale, it seems a little pricey for a drugstore product - however - it WILL last a long time so you do get your money's worth. Overall, a great product - will buy again!
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Concealers -Cover FX - Conceal FX Camouflage Concealer
laurenb222 7/18/2010 9:47:00 PM
This is definitely my HG concealer. After trying almost everything for my dark under eye circles, a friend of mine who is also a Sephora SA recommended this to me. It is for real! It is expensive for what it is, but it will last forever! PROS: covers like a blanket, does not move, waterproof, a little goes a long way, buildable CONS: looks darker than it is when it comes out of the tube, but will lighten when you warm it up, when you squeeze the tube, sometimes some oily type stuff comes out before the product. I have addressed this by shaking it up before use. Be careful! Overall, this is a great concealer, well worth the price tag.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No