Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Powder Brush
loovexemilyy 4/20/2013 12:49:00 AM
Oh E.L.F gods, you've really outdone yourselves. For years, I've been using a regular foundation brush to literally paint foundation onto my face. Long story short, I roll out of bed in the mornings and don't always have the time to thoroughly cover every inch of my face....which never leaves me looking perfectly even. Heck, even if I do take the time to apply it properly, it still doesn't look flawless AND it's just too time consuming. I found this brush and decided to give it a go. First, I was surprised at how little product I was using to cover my entire face. Just a little dab of product and I had covered one whole cheek AND my chin? That would take at least 3 different applications with my regular brush. The bristles on this are so soft and fluffy, I could literally rub this on my face all day. I can cover my entire face (in circular motions) in under a minute flat. (aka - less time I have to spend applying foundation and more time I can spend asleep...where has this been all of my life?!) The finish of my foundation is flawless when I use this. It doesn't settle into fine lines or ever look cakey - EVER. My old foundation brush used to get so dirty so quickly. With this brush, I see hardly any foundation left over on the bristles. I've used ELF's regular brushes (the $1 ones with the white handles) and every single one I've had has broken off of the handle and has been shedding. These brushes in the studio line are so much better, and for 3$ a piece, I can afford to replace this whenever. Thankfully I don't think I'll have to for a while since this gem is holding up very well! Go buy it - you have nothing to lose!
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Highlighters -BeneFit Cosmetics - Sun Beam
loovexemilyy 3/17/2013 12:35:00 AM
I love Sun Beam! I was able to snag a mini bottle of this along with a mini Coralista for around $15 at Sephora - so it was a steal in my opinion, as I probably wouldn't use an entire bottle of Sun Beam let alone pay $26+ for it. Anyways - I love to use this in the dead of summer as I feel like this is the only acceptable time to be gold and glowing! This is a beautiful highlighter that will only see the light of day a few weeks out of the year. It's a pretty pink/bronze/gold shimmer that adds a beautiful sun kissed glow. I'll either dab a bit down the center of my nose or just on my cheeks. (Side note: Blend well! I've taken the brush and dotted this on my cheeks and realized that I didn't blend this in well enough and the dots of product picked up on my sponge and went back on my face in the same shape - it looked like I had golden freckles!) Great product - it's such a nice color but I can't really pull it off year round.
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Highlighters -BeneFit Cosmetics - Girl Meets Pearl
loovexemilyy 3/17/2013 12:19:00 AM
Love love love. After swatching this on the back of my hand in Sephora, I wasn't quite sure what to think of the applicator or how the color would turn out. I had swatched Sun Beam on the back of my hand earlier and was quite surprised at the similarities between the two. I found Sun Beam to be a bit too dark/bronze for my liking, but Girl Meets Pearl seems to be a more refined version of Sun Beam. Beautiful pinkish gold champagne color - looking at the back of my hand now this just seems to blend into my skin and give it a beautiful warm glow. I might have to stick with Sephora samples since this is a bit pricey for my liking - but it's an absolutely divine color.
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Eye Shadow -Napoleon Perdis - NP Set Eye Palette Eye Shadow - Chicago Taupe
loovexemilyy 3/16/2013 2:13:00 AM
This has been my HG eye shadow for the past 4 years! This was given to me as a gift, otherwise I probably wouldn't have purchased it given the high price. There are three shades. One is a slightly nude-ish gold, and two other brown/taupe shades that I really cannot distinguish from each other. The shadows have great pigmentation and a good amount of shimmer which I love! The feel pretty velvety and the shadows apply very smoothly. I always do the gold shade and switch out the other two brown shades - perfect and subtle for an everyday look. Although I don't by any means press down the applicator into the pan, there always seems to be a bit of excess that falls off of the applicator when I apply it to my eyelids which can get a bit annoying. I always keep my makeup at home and handle it gently, so when one of the brown shades of this crumbled and broke I was somewhat confused. I also wiped down the outside of this with a damp cloth and the NP logo came off with it - not sure what is up with that. Overall, this is a great product. Great color payoff and a nice subtle everyday shimmer. The price is a bit high for my liking but once I run out I will repurchase - its lasted quite a while!
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Lip Gloss -Victoria's Secret - Innocent
loovexemilyy 1/2/2013 12:16:00 AM
I LOVE this. I rarely use lip gloss, as I don't feel like bothering with it and prefer basic lip balms. Today I used this to give my look some "oomf". This color looked beautiful and gave my lips the most perfect pale baby pink color with just one soft coat. It seemed to last quite a while, but was gone after eating/drinking, which was okay. The price isn't bad at all - I later went to Target and couldn't find a wand gloss in this color or in similar packaging. For $12 I don't mind :)
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Mascara -L'Oreal - Voluminous mascara
loovexemilyy 11/9/2012 1:03:00 AM
As a mascara junkie, it is safe to say I have finally found my HG after years of searching. When I first tried this, I wasn't impressed. It sat around in my mascara drawer until I decided to try it out again one day. (I use the regular straight brush - for reference) This went on so smooth, like a dream. I lean my head back slightly and wiggle the brush from the lashline up. The formula is so creamy and rich, it rarely clumps. Alone, it gives a good everyday kind of look. It works well with another type of mascara on top too - very buildable!
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Hair Styling Tools -Unlisted Brand - Tangle Teezer
loovexemilyy 11/2/2012 12:49:00 AM
I am in love with this product! I picked it up at the clearance section in Target for around $8. I've always struggled with brushing my hair after showers, so I figured I'd give this a try! I've got very long thin hair, down to the middle of my back. I highlight/bleach the top half blonde, while the bottom half is my natural auburn color. I used to style/straighten my hair almost every day, and this left the color treated hair even more frazzled and breakable. After I got out of the shower, I tried this and was amazed. It glided through my hair effortlessly with no tugging/pulling/snapping/knotting of my strands. The only tiny gripe I have with this is that I find it harder to brush the top of my head after a shower. I feel like the tiny bristles don't really reach/detangle really thick sections. I find this works best if I use it on smaller sections of my hair at a time. I'm glad I got this on clearance, as there are times when I feel that the bristles are so little/unsturdy that they could break off at any second. However, this is a miracle product and the way the brush is shaped is so perfect. Why didn't anyone think of this before?
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Self Tanners -L'Oreal - Sublime Bronze Luminous Bronzer Self-tanning Lotion
loovexemilyy 9/15/2012 12:54:00 AM
I love this stuff! After swearing off the tanning bed, I needed something to give me a faux glow (I am naturally VERY pale) I really like the consistency of this stuff, it's pretty easy to put on. However, if I put on a second layer (and sometimes a third which is really pushing it) it gets extremely hard to rub on top of the existing layer, even if it hasn't dried. If I dared put on a third layer the color would start clumping together and the more you try to rub it in the more it literally comes off. I feel like it's a bit difficult to make this look completely smooth and streak free, but I don't have the patience to be very meticulous with the application. Even if it does look a tad bit streaky (on legs or face) I always hop in the shower when I wake up and use a little bit of body wash and lightly wash the areas. You can see the excess color coming off in the water, and you can feel on your skin the sliminess of the lotion. I normally wash until I can feel that the product is off of my skin and not slimy! Normally after I wash off the streakiness is either gone or very toned down. As for the cons, I find that there are a few but can be overlooked when you realize the color you're getting afterwards. The glitter doesn't bother me at all, it washes right off. The smell of this isn't bad, but it can be kind of annoying when you go to bed with this stuff on and try not to move to stain your sheets. Also, if it's hot outside (on the day after application, even after I've showered) if I start feeling warm/start sweating I can smell this stuff and I feel so gross. This stuff is somewhat of a pain to get off of my legs, ankles and forearms. It comes of my neck and chest first so that's not a problem. One of my biggest peeves with this is that no matter how many times I wash my hands between applying different layers of this stuff, my palms are ALWAYS orange. I scrub and scrub after I'm done but it always seems to stick and it can really look awful the next day.
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Self Tanners -L'Oreal - Sublime Bronze Pro Perfect Salon Airbrush Self-Tanning Mist
loovexemilyy 9/15/2012 12:37:00 AM
I used to use this stuff religiously in high school, and have gone through multiple bottles of this stuff. Cons: For starters, I hate applying this. I found if I wanted to avoid the gross smell, I'd apply one layer and then be annoyed when I woke up the next morning with hardly any color. I always felt like I could still smell this on me the morning afterwards even if I rinsed off in the shower when I woke up. I grew to despise this smell and it nauseated me the more I used it, especially if I were to start sweating after I applied this/the day after I applied. Also, this gave me a very strange rash on one small area of my neck. The rash was contained to a small area and wasn't painful, but very strange to see in the mirror! Another issue was how sticky I felt for hours afterwards, even on body parts that I lightly sprayed. Pros: (Although I hated spraying A TON of this to get the color I wanted) It gives GREAT color. A nice deep golden bronze. Definitely not streaky compared to creams, but if you missed an area that was a little obvious. It lasts about 4-5 days before flaking off. Application is a breeze, and was super easy for my back and legs. Overall, once you get over the smell/stickiness, the results are fantastic!
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Fragrances -Victoria's Secret - Vanilla Coconut Passion
loovexemilyy 7/27/2012 2:04:00 AM
As a VS employee, I am around these fragrances quite a bit. To me, I detect absolutely no coconut in this but more of a sugary vanilla. It reminds me of a discontinued fragrance from Bath and Body Works years ago called Fresh Vanilla. The staying power for the mist is not long at all - if you're looking for that than go for the EDT. The hand & body cream as well as the lotion will provide you with a longer lasting scent if you layer it.
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Fragrances -Givenchy - Ange ou Demon Le Secret
loovexemilyy 7/27/2012 1:57:00 AM
I absolutely adore this perfume. I am somewhat picky with my fragrances, and I do like to switch them out with the weather and seasons. I can't do sickly sweet perfumes (Viva La Juicy, Pink Sugar, Princess, etc.) but I find myself sticking to my random favorites such Ralph by Ralph Lauren & Acqua di Gioa, (basically Aquatic Fruits/Florals for the summer) and more gourmand fragrances for the cooler months such as Fantasy, Chanel Chance or RL Hot. This perfume is unlike anything I have ever smelled before. It smells so soft, delicate, and in a way - natural? I was browsing the Sephora fragrance section when I picked up the bottle to this, smelt it, and was immediately puzzled. It smelt so light, slightly sweet and floral. I asked for a sample and then let it blend with my body heat. Still smells so fresh and light. (Random reference - but if anyone has smelled the Country Garden air freshener by Glade - this has some similar notes!) I cannot put my finger on what makes this smell so comforting and breezy but it's definitely a one of a kind fragrance.
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Primer/ Corrector -Revlon - PhotoReady Perfecting Primer (color 001)
loovexemilyy 7/20/2012 1:30:00 AM
This is the first primer I've ever tried and overall I am very pleased! Let me give you a little background on me: my face gets very oily around the T zone, and lately I have been mixing my foundation (Revlon Colorstay) with my facial moisturizer to make the coverage less heavy for summertime. I also do apply self tanner to my face. When I first put this on, I felt so strange. With a naturally oily complexion I felt like I was putting a creamy, yet greasy lotion on my face. It definitely toned down the color of my self tanner I had put on my face (which some days can be a good thing!) Upon application, I could feel the areas of my face evening out a bit. It didn't feel greasy after it settled in for a minute, but it definitely evened and smoothed out things (especially on my nose where I have big pores) I noticed a bit smoother application when it came to applying my foundation with my foundation brush, but if I didn't cover an area of my face evenly with this primer, it definitely showed in my foundation. After I dusted with powder, my face looked so flawless and smooth, like I had just spent hours doing my makeup or that I had naturally smooth and pretty skin! Hours later my skin still looked nice and matte, except my nose did look a tad bit shiny. However, that is the oiliest part of my face and I also do swipe a bit of bronzer on it so the shimmer in that could have had something to do with that. After a long day of being in a hot car, dog kisses, and running errands, my face definitely looked more fresh than when I would have gone with out. It did have a slight sheen but wasn't anything that looked sloppy! My only complaint is I got caught in the rain tonight and wherever the rain hit my face, my foundation came off with it! I also noticed my makeup that is layered on top of this comes off much easier in the shower, which is good, because Colorstay is a pain to get off! Over all I am very pleased with this product and am sure that it will serve me well over the winter months!
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Bronzers -New York Color - Sun 'n' Bronze in Hamptons Radiance
loovexemilyy 7/10/2012 10:05:00 PM
I LOVE this stuff. Normally I am a little hesitant with NYC products because they are so cheap and I'm not really familiar with the quality of them. I bought this on a whim because the colors caught my eye - a peachy pink, shimmery nude, and a bronze. I don't use too much of this stuff - so the shape/design on the powder is still pretty much intact. I love the color that it gives - I normally take a small blush brush and make circular motions in the pan and then apply lightly to my cheeks and a very small amount to my nose. I get a slight bronze color, but more of a peachy gold. This is pretty shimmery but not too bad for my taste. It looks absolutely gorgeous in the sunlight, and the color is perfect for summer because it doesn't look too overdone. I hope they never discontinue this!
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Fragrances -Elizabeth Arden - Fantasy Britney spears
loovexemilyy 7/3/2012 11:48:00 PM
I LOVE this stuff. For years I had known of people who had worn it, and I always thought to myself how good it smelt. I saw a bottle of it in Ross for around $16, so I finally gave in and purchased it! Initially it smells spicy and almost sugary. It dries down nicely to a cotton candy/white chocolate scent. The staying power is awesome and I always feel so comforted when I wear this fragrance. Gorgeous bottle too!
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Fragrances -Giorgio Armani - Acqua di Gioia EDP
loovexemilyy 6/20/2012 2:21:00 AM
I am surprised that I didn't discover this sooner! I am by no means a perfume expert, but I have spent my fair amount of time wandering up and down the perfume wall at Sephora trying to go back and forth between all of the different fragrances. I actually did first see this in a Sephora store, but my stepmom wrote off the fragrance as being "too old" for an 18 year old. I had occasionally gotten samples on the paper testers of this but nothing really struck me as being unique. I recently made a purchase from Ulta and this was one of the free sample options, so I decided to give it a try. Turns out I ended up liking this sample more than the actual perfume I bought.. Whoops! When I first spray the product, (just one spray is pretty strong - and I just applied it 10 minutes ago!) I am surrounded by a light but very sweet citrusy smell - for me, I find that this fades somewhat quickly (or I can just detect the floral smell more) either way, the blend of florals is perfect. Some people say this is a very generic fragrance, but I find it to be very unique with the many layers that all smell so great and blend together so well. This lasts for a decent amount of time, and the dry-down smells wonderful. This scent is perfect for summer! Whenever I spray it on my clothes it smells so fresh and clean - before transitioning into the more spicy florals. I honestly didn't really consider this fragrance at first because I didn't let it blend with my body chemistry - I love it now that I have discovered all of the notes of this fragrance! I love it!
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