Primer/ Corrector -Yves Saint Laurent - Matt Touch - Touche Mate - Oil-Free Primer
llbeanpole 6/10/2010 12:32:00 PM
The sun is on full UV blast, the dank humidity hangs around and sticks like a second skin, mingling with sweat and sebum, the bugs buzz, bite and feast - ah, the joys of summer! Time to break out my antidote to the great summer mayhem, shiny pore-riddled oozing T-Zone and gooey smeary makeup. It is ridiculous how effortless it is with this Primer to maintain some poise and composure while trapped in the midst of irritated, sweaty, not-very-fresh metro commuters during peak hours. This fruity-green scented velvety siliconey goo in a tube kept my face fresh as a peach with no sign of my makeup beating a retreat or forming random patterns that can be best described as "beige ombre". It performs its miraculous feat on the eyes too, putting UDPP to shame. And with its soft translucent tube, every last drop can be seen and squeezed out, no need to wield the chainsaw to dissect curvy hard plastic bottle parts to get at hidden pockets of products!
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Fragonard - Eau Fantasque
llbeanpole 6/4/2010 8:50:00 AM
The citrus burst is so refreshing, this is my must-have scent for summer. The grapefruit is so succulent and mouth-wateringly juicy, it is quite addictive. The crisp florals that accompany the fruits add a beautiful honeyed depth to this wonderous scent. I would highly recommend this to lovers of very light, yet complex citrus-floral notes with a lingering, soft golden amber.
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Crème -Suqqu - cream foundation
llbeanpole 5/30/2010 3:24:00 PM
My mom recently bought this cream foundation (Shade 20, 30g) for a staggering 10,500 JPY (approx. US$90?) but she swears it is one of the best foundations she's ever used so I really had to try it. It is a mousse like foundation with a very light, natural, smooth finish. It feels more like a tinted moisturizer with an SPF17, yet it covers well, though a concealer will be needed for any visible blemishes. It brightens the skin tone considerably and leaves a satin finish. It is too oily for my skin in summer, so I'm not sure if it's the right foundation for me. It is in fact very similar to the discontinued Stephane Marais. It offers less coverage than CdP but feels more hydrating as CdP can be drying. It offers more coverage compared to Chantecaille Future Skin, another hydrating, moisturizing cream foundation. About the gorgeous minimalist, but somewhat excessive packaging - it is contained within a hefty glass jar with a shiny black lid, it comes with a spatula and sponge beautifully packed with its own black carry case. The entire package is substantially heavy. The Suqqu line is beautifully, immaculately minimalist but maximalist in price - SAs even put on gloves when they show the products to the customers! This would be a great foundation for dry skin but I'd seriously balk at the ridiculous price - it isn't worth this much for what it does, although it is a superior product in the market, better than CdP or Chantecaille. I would theoretically buy this again if I have theoretically abundant cash, haha...
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -RoC - Retin-Ox Illuminator
llbeanpole 5/21/2010 7:21:00 AM
The texture of this foundation is very light, sheer and the scent is very pleasant. However, it doesn't offer much coverage at all, more like a very light tinted moisturizer with sunscreen (SPF15) with a sprinkling of illuminating gold pigment. I have this in Ivory and it is quite dark even though it is the lightest shade, but my skin appears satiny where my cheekbones are highlighted. It comes in a really nice metallic tube that dispenses the right amount of product when lightly pressured. Overall, it might be for those who are lightly tanned and who prefer a no make-up look, but you need to apply a concealer if you have any blemishes. I use it as an illuminating moisturizer/sunscreen over my regular concealer/foundation and it works best that way.
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Eye Shadow -Chanel - Shadowlights Tumulte
llbeanpole 5/21/2010 6:54:00 AM
Tumulte is a very versatile creamy matte chocolate shade that can be paired with almost any other color. It is soft, warm and is perfect for a neutral, understated look that lasts all day, I like it especially when paired with Vega with a highlighter on the crease. Shadowlights is my favorite of all the Chanel eyeshadows as they are softer and more pigmented. They come in a handy, sturdy little compact with a sponge-tip applicator which doesn't last long, so I would advise using your own brushes at home and saving the applicator for when you need to reapply your makeup when you're out.
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Eye Shadow -Chanel - Shadowlights- Vega
llbeanpole 5/21/2010 6:42:00 AM
This is a beautiful metallic taupe that is neutral and very easy to complement. The shade is more akin to a beige-grey metal, yet it doesn't look harsh or glittery. It is very versatile as a highlighter shade and can be paired with deeper warm or cool eyeshadows. Although there are prettier taupes out there, Chanel's Vega outshines them in terms of texture and longevity - it applies smoothly like a silky satin, stays on all day and no fall-out on the cheeks. It's one of those no-brainer eyeshadows for when I'm in a hurry and needs to put on my make-up on the run.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -Chanel - Shadowlights- Fracas
llbeanpole 5/21/2010 6:31:00 AM
I have no idea why this pretty, satiny pastel lilac shade is named "Fracas" as it is classy and understated. It is great as a highlighter and it flashes a pale silvery-purple when applied. The texture is soft and the effect is a light, satin gleam that accentuates and illuminates the eyes, not harsh or glittery. It is a bit too cool for my complexion so I find myself reaching for the more neutral taupe Vega instead.
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Eye Shadow -Chanel - Shadowlights in Comet
llbeanpole 5/21/2010 6:23:00 AM
Comet is one of my first Chanel eyeshadows and I have never been able to find another quite like it, not Bobbi Brown, YSL, or MAC. It is a very dark, almost black navy with a slight shimmer, very soft and pigmented, and it is fantastic to use as an eye liner and for smoking the eyes. I like to pair Comet with Vega, a metallic taupe, for highlight and contrast. Unlike the Duos or Quads, Shadowlights are much more pigmented and easier to use. They are my favorite Chanel eyeshadows and the small compacts are handy to carry around. The powder shatters easily though, so be warned.
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Pressed Powders -Chanel - Poudre Universelle Compacte
llbeanpole 5/21/2010 6:01:00 AM
This is my HG and I've gone through countless of these compacts. It is one of the finest powders I've used and it keeps the complexion smooth, matte and air-brushed. It also keeps makeup from migrating around. The compact is wonderful - classic, well-constructed, extremely hardy with no scratches, loose or broken parts despite that fact that I carry it around with me all the time and have dropped it several times. The other pressed powders I've used have never survived my constant "abuse". The only downside is that it might contain some fragrance and silicone and my sensitive skin itches a little when I use it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Fragonard - Diamant
llbeanpole 5/3/2010 6:16:00 AM
The mint/pepper top note bursts brightly in the opening along with light, fresh floral notes, giving the perfume a metallic, flinty edge. It settles down to a more conventional chocolate-vanilla middle and base, quite reminiscent of Angel, but not as strong. Overall, it is a very nice perfume but not particularly unusual.
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Fragrances -Fragonard - belle de nuit
llbeanpole 5/3/2010 5:54:00 AM
Belle de Nuit is a strong, sexy and heavier floral, and very classic and traditional in that it is formulated like perfumes of the past, not the recent "fresh", sugary, green, ozone-y concoctions. It comes across as a floriental, and it reminds me very much of a lighter, whiter Tresor with subtle Musk-Amber basenotes. The top notes are very bright, white florals, and the opening is a heady, pretty bouquet that is fresh and not too sweet or cloying. I wish the opening would stay a little longer, as the heavier amber arrives too soon. I would say it makes for a great sexy, evening perfume, quite classic and sophisticated yet sultry, bold and feminine. Belle de Nuit is an elegant, smoldering seductress, never loud or vulgar.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Fragrances -Fragonard - Eau de Bonheur
llbeanpole 5/3/2010 5:32:00 AM
I wonder why there are not many reviews for this perfume - Eau de Bonheur lives up to its name, it really does lift up one's spirit, and is a "happy" scent. To me, it is a perfect balance of floral and wood notes, the woods lending warmth to the florals without making it at all "heavy" or "oriental". In fact, it smells a little "soapy", clean, fresh, without the usual "cool" green or ozone notes. It is one of my favorites among the Fragonards I own, and for their prices, Fragonards are a steal.
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Eye Shadow -Givenchy - Prisme Again! Eyeshadow Quartet
llbeanpole 2/11/2010 2:43:00 AM
I am a sucker for packaging and this purchase of "Smoky Sheers" exemplifies it. The 2-tier compact is itself a beautiful, intelligent design - small, light and portable, the graphic Givenchy logo is a gorgeous mirrored relief, and the applicators in their separate compartment below are tiny but useful. Although I use my own brushes at home, I hate to carry a separate bundle of applicators with me like I would have to with the Nars. For such a tiny compact, the "prisme" method of molding the shadows does pack in a lot of product. If only the shadows live up to the high standards of the compact design....alas, the white shadow is very soft but mat and absolutely useless, and the "smoky" shadows, Plum, Black and Marine, offer very poor payoff. I understand that these are meant to be sheer, but the shades aren't even interesting enough to make up for the lack of pigment. Another warning - do not use brushes with these shadows, they will make a dent in the product but you won't get any of it applied on your eyes. Sponge-tip applicators work much better, or even fingers to pat on the shadows. I haven't tried using the wet method, but the shades themselves aren't interesting enough for me to make that effort. They are worse than the Chanel Quads, if such a thing is even possible. I don't understand why the super-expensive high-end cosmetic brands offer such anemic products. I will try to live with these, but I suspect I will scrape the shadows off and try to press some pigments in their place as I do LOVE the compact, dearly. So 3 lippies, but mostly for the wonderful packaging, and I would buy these in other shades as I really love the compacts.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Primer -Urban Decay - Eyeshadow Primer Potion - Original (UDPP)
llbeanpole 9/24/2009 7:10:00 AM
Like everyone else, I was completely dependent on UDPP to keep my lids dry and eye makeup intact for years. I ran out of my HG recently and while waiting to swap or purchase another, decided to try one of my silicone-based oil-control creme foundations as I noticed the texture is very similar, and presto, it WORKS. My eyelids did not get oily, the eye makeup stayed on all day without smudging, the foundation created a smooth, even base around my eye area, it was working exactly as the UDPP I normally use. Best of all, I squeeze a little of the foundation onto my brush, apply over both lids and wash it afterwards, which is hygienic. It beats struggling with the genie bottle and the wand. I would encourage those of you who own some silicone-based foundations to experiment with them to see if they work, especially the fragrance-free variety. For the record, I tried YSL Matt Foundation and the Powdercreme veil, both in Ivory. The Powderdreme Veil works much better for me, perhaps because it gives a lighter, more powdery finish. I'm so pleased I found a less expensive and abundant alternative to UDPP.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Yves Saint Laurent - Teint Singulier (Sheer Powdercreme Veil)
llbeanpole 9/3/2009 5:44:00 AM
I've hesitated to write a review for this powdercreme, but I've personally liked it very much for hot humid days and have not had any closeup pictures taken with flash photography. Otherwise, normal photographs taken with flash at a distance has not appeared to be problematic. It is scented, but I don't find it particularly unpleasant - a bit of citrus, a little rose, but most YSL products, with a few exceptions, are quite heavily scented, so I'm used to it. The reason why I'm writing a review now is that I've discovered it makes a fantastic eyeshadow primer/base. I've recently run out of my UDPP and tried several foundations as substitute, and this works out the best, better than the Matt Touch Foundation. When used on the face though, it sometimes sinks into pores, so I avoid using it over the large pore areas. I will, however, continue to use this as a shadow base as it actually works pretty well in keeping the eyeshadows on all day without creasing.
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