Highlighters -MAC - Skinfinish-Stereo Rose
loci 7/9/2010 12:24:00 AM
Not sure about the hype, I guess its probably because this is the first re-release of this MSF. It was sold out in the MAC near my house but I asked the MAC lady to show me the tester so I can take a look. It was really pretty coral orange color in the pan and I like the look of it. I then swatched it but found out it was really frosty to a point that might look off as a blush if you need to build up the color with more than 2 swipes, but it was also clearly too dark as a highlighter. Maybe it would be perfect for a fair skinned lady, but for me I still prefer a less frosty blush. Colorwise, I'm pretty sure you can find a similar coral blush somewhere and just jazzed it up with some highlighter.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -MAC - Mineralize Blush - Happy Together
loci 7/9/2010 12:18:00 AM
I'm also NC30 like the reviewer below but this shows up perfect on me with a peachy flush. In the pan it looks quite dull like powder and I'm afraid that it would not show up on me at all. Fourtunately, this is REALLY pigmented and gives a youthful energetic pop of color, not burning bronzy summery, but more of a happy spring type of peachy orange. The texture is really smooth like the past collection (the one with Superdupernatural) and easy to pick up. This is instant love for me, I'm sure this would be great for anyone.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Lancome - L'Absolu Rouge in Voile de Rose
loci 3/5/2010 4:23:00 PM
This is a really beautiful warm medium pink that can be worn by people with yellowtoned complextion. The coverage is great (opaque in 1 swipe) but its buttery smooth and moistruzing even without lip balm beforehand. As previous reviewer said, it does have a very weird and gag-reflexing scent. When I first tried it at Sephora, I was amazed by the color and the scent is not that strong because its being exposed in the air for a long time being a tester. However, when I first use my newly purchased lipstick...HOLY CRAP the scent! Its really disgusing! Thanks the lord it fades in about 15 minutes with the help of heavy scented lip gloss like Anna Sui's. With that being said, I would probably not repurchase if I can find a better alternative.
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Top/Base Coats -Essie - Good to Go! The Fastest Drying Top Coat
loci 10/19/2009 2:33:00 PM
For me this is better than SV or Poshe in many ways. This might not be a fastest drying TC out there but combine with drop-dry products this is actually pretty good. The shine and hardness is comparable to Poshe I would say, and the application is way better than the goopy fastdry ones. So far I need no thinner for this and I'm about half botle through. I found this one workable with almost every brand of nail polishes. Best of all, NO shrinkages! The price is pretty good for what you get.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Top/Base Coats -Lippmann Collection - Addicted to Speed
loci 10/19/2009 10:49:00 AM
I have be doing manis for myself for as while and tried almost everything that's recommanded/raved on nailboard, including the popular SV, Poshe and not so loved Essie ones...etc, basically anything you can find in Canada. (haven't tried Diamont) One thing with SV is that it shrinks, for me it shrinks from the cuticles and you can see the strokes clearly and believe me it looks really bad, others have it shrinks from the tip, that means after a fe hours your mani is done, you will have tipwear-like look. Another downside of SV is that it thinkened quickly, usually half way through the bottle the contents will be very thick and goopy and you need thinner almost everytime you use it from then on. So far Addicted to Speed does not have these problem. I got mini bottle along with Good Girls Gone Bad and it sit in my closet for so long until I'm so irritated with SV and Poshe. The dries very fast, very shiny, and very hard. I did not find the weird smell other mentioned. Because it dries very fast, you need to have enough product on the brush because you will not be able to go over it again. The price is high for a TC if you compare it to other under $10 ones, but there are also HE polishes with higher price tag you still buy, bare in mind this is necessity that you use everytime and you actually used it up!
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Lip Gloss -MAC - She-Zam Dazzleglass
loci 10/17/2009 12:52:00 AM
This one stands out from the three dazzleglass this holiday MAC has to offer. In tube it is very beautiful, a silver base filled with silver and margenta sparkles. On lip it reminds me of Guerlain 800 Kisskiss Gloss in Crystal Pearl, only the margenta pearl will show, but the MAC version is more subtle, it will not change the color of the lipstick drastically. Price for a MAC lipgloss is a bit steep but compare to Guerlain its not a bad alternative to have.
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Eye Shadow -MAC - Midnight Madness
loci 10/15/2009 10:39:00 PM
All the mineralized eyeshadows from the holiday collection are huge let downs. I give this one three lippies because the dark side of this duo is actually very pigmented and shiny. It is also not a typical dark brown but with a purple hue in it, which is actually rare in my huge earth tone eyeshadow collection. However, the cresent side of all these eyeshadows (namely the gold and silver side) are horrible. They give very little color but large flakies that fall out, not only that, they still have some powder in it that will mess up the eyemakeup if you use it for layering purposes. Bottom line, I would buy it (maybe even several from this collection) because the main color side are all pigmented and slightly different from the normal colors we would get. But with half of the eyeshadow being that ugly and messy flakies, no thank you.
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Blush -MAC - Superdupernatural - Holiday 2009
loci 10/15/2009 10:32:00 PM
When I first see this I was like: "God another peach/orange mineralized blush? I've been seeing the incarnation of these in every single collection they came out recently." Warm Soul, Intenso, Improvise...etc, all so similar. However, the texture of Superdupernatural blew me away! It is so fine almost like powder blush but similar has the unique shine of mineralized one and the lasting power. In terms of the color it is nothing that would 'wow' you, but very versatile and nice on warm skintones. It is also pigmented, a little goes a long way!
6 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -MAC - Surprise Me - Holiday 2009
loci 10/15/2009 10:26:00 PM
This is perfection on my N25/30 asian complextion. When you first see it the bright coral might scare you off, but bare in mind this is a lustre lipstick so it goes on sheer and soft, it is not dry and will not accentuate the lines. This color goes very well with warm skintone and gives the natural flush, nothing over the top but young and energetic. I think I need a backup of this.
7 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Lippmann Collection - Nefertiti
loci 10/6/2009 4:41:00 PM
Instead of calling this Nefertiti, I would call it Tutankhamun. The texture of this polish is just like the casket of the Egyptian kings, very unique unlike the finishes we're familiar with. Its a like gold with no bronze, its not shiny nor matte, just like the gold paint or ancient Egyptian art. Please press continue to see pics:
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Otherwise Engaged
loci 9/30/2009 3:52:00 PM
Very delicate color, a semi sheer pale pink base with purple/magenta flash. Very buildable, one layer you can see the purple flash the most but still have the nail bed to show through, two layers by my opinion is the best and please pree continue to see my pics for demo, and three/four layers will be almost opaque.
With flash.
No flash.
Under sunlight.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Bobbi Brown - Forest Shimmer Ink Gel Eyeliner
loci 9/28/2009 2:43:00 PM
This is my newest favourite. At first I thought its going to be like Ivy Shimmer ink which is very green, but this one is a neutral grey with olive and gold in it, however still dark enough to define the eye. Its very "fall" and goes with a lot of eye shadow colors. I find myself grabing this one a lot lately. Very creamy unlike some of the shimmer inks.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Bobbi Brown - Caviar Ink
loci 9/28/2009 2:39:00 PM
This is the shade that every women should have! I used to hate black liners because it makes my eyes too sharp like eagles, so the darkest I go is MAC's Blitz & Glitz. However when BB have this out, I'm so tempted by the foody name and decided I need to go check it out. This is the color that its hard to describe...its kind of like black with a tint of black plum and a bit of expresso ink...and you get caviar ink. Its not to sharp but definitely defines you eye and make them pop. Thank God this is perm.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Loose Powders -Cle de Peau - Loose Powder
loci 9/28/2009 2:34:00 PM
Best loose powder I've tried (and I've tried a lot of these high ends!). Its very finely milled, give you a natural flush, and makes your skin looks flawless. The older version is square case with pink powders (which I absolutely love the packaging) and the newer version that just came out not long ago is in round case with white powders. I love both and its defintitely worth the price, what't the point of buying 3 cheaper loose powders and never use them up because you don't love it?
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Loose Powders -Make Up For Ever - HD High Definition Loose Powder
loci 9/28/2009 2:28:00 PM
I don't know if its only me or what, this powder makes my nose feel uncomfortable. It has this distinve smell that I'm really not a fan with and everytime I put it on I have to hold my breathe. It is finely milled and holds oil back, but if you put on too much it will make you look ghostly. I don't like the small tub it somes with, its pretty difficult to dip my powder brush in. Finally decided to return it.
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