Crème -Urban Decay - Surreal Skin Cream to Powder Foundation
lowcarb 7/16/2011 4:40:00 PM
I looked into this product because I travel a lot and need a foundation that won't spill or be overly messy and complicated in application. Something I can do in my car. I went onto YouTube and there's a fab video on makeup application with UD Surreal Skin Cream to Powder foundation that was incredibly helpful right down to the brushes to use (MAC 187 or the Sigma F80). Here is the link to Ms. Beauty B*tch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuW0et2ybrE I also learned that Alexis Bellino of the Real Housewives of Orange County loves this product as she states on her FB and uses it in "Dream." I am a MAC NC25 I knew that either Nirvana or Dream were the ones for me since she and I have the same coloring. So I bought both. I bought Nirvana to mix it up and for when I have the winter paleness. Nirvana will work if you are a NC25 too. Dream is good for adding dimension and for when I have a Level 1 or Level 2 Mystic. Everything that Ms. Beauty B*tch says on Youtube is exactly correct - use a synthetic flat-top brush or synthetic stipple brush and you won't overapply.
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Foundations -Sally Hansen - Natural Beauty inspired by Carmindy Airbrush Spray Makeup
lowcarb 11/20/2010 7:57:00 PM
About a month ago I fell down face-forward and had to get 15 stitches from my nose to my chin. This wound are is healing well thanks to two cosmetic dermatologists who used plastic surgery stitch technique for the wound site. I will probably have about 1 inch of barely visible scar just to the right of my chin. The rest of the scar area has already healed with no scarring at all (yay!). Healing hint: use Kelo-cote (no prescription, but $40.00 for a small tube) and Biafine (prescription covered by my insurance to $35.00). Biafine is sold on amazon.com IIRC. Kelo-cote for the thin scar lines and Biafine for the wide ones. Anyway, during this healing period I've tried several concealers (Laura Mercier, Jane Iredale) and a stick foundation (Becca) , and a liquid foundation (Clinique) and none of them cover the irregular cut mark like the Airbrush Spray Makeup by Carmindy. I bought it at CVS for $15.49 (California). Had to check out three CVS stores before finding the store that had this item. Its really the spray-on technique that enables the foundation to get into the hard-to-cover sections. For reference, I'm a MAC NC-25 and the Light is a shade too light for me. However its perfect for the wound site since the tissue is redder than surrounding skin. I shake the can for about 20 seconds and hold it about 8 inches from the wound area and I get excellent coverage. I need just a single spray (spray on directly) and use a latex foam wedge to smooth it out and feather into the surrounding skin.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Kate Somerville - Exfolikate
lowcarb 10/29/2010 2:15:00 PM
Very good news: Kate Somerville has changed the packaging on this product to a squeeze-able tube. I bought mine 3 days ago at NM. Same price - $85.00 Looking at it now - tube size is 2 fl oz. I purchased a sample of Exfolikate from the company directly and liked it but not the packaging (round jar with press-down lid/product releaser). So I never bought any after reading here how lousy the jar thing was. Glad they changed the packaging. This product is the best scrub out there for me. I have sensitive skin and leave the product on for only several seconds after massaging in rather than the 20-30 seconds recommended on the package.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Skincare - Face -Revive - Neck Renewal Cream
lowcarb 10/14/2010 8:46:00 PM
I'm going to repurchase this even though it is expensive ($130) at NM. Works very well though I have to really lay it on and let it sink in. Only one I know of that works.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Bronzers -Too Faced - Snow Bunny
lowcarb 5/19/2010 8:39:00 PM
Snow Bunny is a *lite* version of Bobbi Brown's Bronze Shimmerbrick, imo, with pink as opposed to rose tones. I bought Snow Bunny because the Bronze Shimmerbrick is too dark for my NC-25 skin (unless I have a Mystic, then Shimmerbrick is great).
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Self Tanners -Unlisted Brand - Sevin Nyne by Lindsay Lohan Spray Tan
lowcarb 5/16/2010 3:10:00 AM
I purchased this product after trying it at Sephora. Huge rave for this product which doesn't turn me orange (NC-25); the BEST self-tanner spray with virtually no orange overtones or undertones. I also get Mystic tans, and I would place this as a Level 2 or maybe 3 (depending on how much you towel off afterwards). Beautiful golden brown color. Cannot get any better than this. Way better than Guerlain's spray tanner which turns orange on me. Better than California Tan bottled spray tanner which on me, has a soft orange undertone. Many thanks to LiLo for using herself as a test subject in developing this product. Yes she was orange a few years ago, but not anymore! :) Tip: I avoid blotchiness and streaking by using a foam roller (used by pageant contestants) to get a completely even application. I spray into a small chinese condiment dish (flat and rectangular) dip the roller in and roll it on.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -SKII - Facial Treatment Essence
lowcarb 4/4/2010 3:16:00 PM
I wound up giving this product a green light after using some from the store counter on my face and neck. I had just had late that afternoon, some derm treatments that involved zapping melanin clusters, red dots, and raised capillaries so I had red zap spots all over my nose and neck. I was somewhat irritated since the SA had no samples to give away. I mean, come on..if someone is having to travel across the state to the SKII counter to try a product, seems to be reasonable to have AT LEAST ONE sample to hand out. Maybe the SA are more interested in selling the samples on eBay, if you go onto eBay, there are all sorts of SKII Treatment Essence samples there for sale. Here in California, there are only four places to buy SKII: Beverly Hills Saks, South Coast Plaza Saks, and SF Saks and Bloomindale's SF. So its difficult to try this stuff on to see if it works. Anyway the SA at South Coast said they don't normally have samples on hand so I used about 1t of the counter product and walked around with it on for about 1 hour before going back to buy a bottle. :) My skin is soft and glowing and the effect lasts without a heavy waxy feel that I get from creams. For reference I am a MAC NC-25, swedish heritage with medium skin tone, dirty blonde with blue eyes.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Highlighters -Bobbi Brown - Shimmer Brick Compact Copper Diamond
lowcarb 5/8/2009 7:31:00 PM
Copper Diamond is my 2nd Shimmerbrick. the first being the original Bronze one. This one builds like the Bronze with a different color strips: champagne, dark gold, warm light copper, bronze (same color strip as the 3rd one down from the top in the original Bronze shimmerbrick), and light warm gold. All in all, good for when I want a candle-glowy hue as opposed to color - which I want when I'm doing a smoky eye. I also combine over my regular blush for a warm glow. This is one of those things where I can layer it over my Bronzer or Bronze Shimmerbrick when I want to lower the color volume and not sacrifice glow. Previous to this purchase, I was using powder foundation to tone down the color but I ended up looking too dusty even when tapping the excess off with my brush. Comes in a goldish compact with a leather-look center, which is good cuz then I'm not confusing it with my other Shimmerbrick. Would definitely repurchase - have to order it online from bobbibrowncosmetics.com since its no longer sold at the counters.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Laura Mercier - Mineral Primer Brush
lowcarb 12/15/2008 2:47:00 PM
This review is for the Mineral Powder dome brush since there isn't a category for it. Terrible brush - very coarse and bristly feeling as others have noted the same for the Mineral Primer brush. I threw it away this morning after my face showed red spots where I used the brush with LM Mineral Powder. I really really tried to make do with this brush since I like how its shaped for facial contours, but it is just so darn coarse! It's shed about 25 hairs since I bought it (at Sephora and not off eBay as someone suggested). I suggest that those who want something way softer to try the MAC brush #182 - incredibly soft and works very well with the mineral powders. If you buy the LM dome one, and want to definitely use it, I rec that you wash it first since A LOT of black dye will be washed out and you don't want that stuff deposited on your face.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Joey New York - Egg Cream Instant Face Lifting Serum
lowcarb 8/8/2007 2:36:00 AM
I bought this today at TJ Maxx and what a surprise - way better than Brandt's Laser Tight. Will definitely buy again.
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Self Tanners -Chanel - Perfect Colour Face Self-Tanner SPF 8
lowcarb 7/24/2007 3:22:00 PM
Off to buy this product again. The only self-tanner that doesn't turn me orange. I use the Golden. You can always build it if you want to go darker. Reference: MAC NC-25
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Dr. Brandt - Laser Tight
lowcarb 7/23/2007 9:45:00 PM
I bought this product at Seph's after developing a softening jawline that is age-related. A bit cautious, I used sample of the product in the store and walked around for a few minutes for it to take effect. I was watching to see if my skin turned red like a poster below. As the previous reviewers noted, this product has a definite although mild skin "cooling" effect which may be menthol. After walking round the store, I checked a mirror and I definitely noticed a more defined jawline and smoother looking skin. So I bought it. Lots of money but lots of effectiveness. I am more happy with it since having bought it and am using it every day now. Can't imagine going back to nothing. Will definitely buy again.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -John Frieda - Luminous Color Glaze
lowcarb 3/4/2007 4:22:00 PM
Attn: Blondes with fine hair Like a previous poster, my hair is turning darker on the top and in the back of my head - not sure if its due to my age (35) or if its because of the time of year (my hair naturally lightens in the summer). Anyway, tried this product today after reading many of the Reviews here - and I used a quarter-sized amount as the OP who has hair length similar to mine (4" below shoulders). I got a very very good result - hair very soft with a sheen. It removed the brassiness that I got from using Clairol Natural Instincts Gloss - that product is good too, lightened my dark blonde 1/2 shade, but a bit (emphasis on *bit*) too brassy. So, I tried the JF Glaze for Platinum/Champagne Blondes and it removed the brassiness. So - I will be using BOTH! lol. This is what I did: shampooed hair with Davines NouNou, damp dried hair with a towel, applied a quarter-sized amount of the JF Glaze into one of my latex-gloved hands (wear gloves, folks!), combed thru, pinned up hair with 4 butterfly clips from Sallys, sat down & read a magazine for 1/2 hour, removed clips, applied Davines NouNou conditioner, and taking a lead from the Clairol Natural Instincts Gloss instructions, mixed the conditioner into my hair WITH THE GLAZE STILL IN IT. Added some warm water (about 1/2 c) and lathered it all up on my head and then rinsed it off. Rinsing took about 2 full mins. Blew it dry. Styling product added: Kiehl's Silk Groom for that Jen A. piecey look. :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Christian Dior - Diorshow Mascara
lowcarb 2/26/2007 8:04:00 PM
I bought this mascara after trying several that all flaked. Every single one - the worst being Max Factor's Waterproof mascara. But Diorshow did not. I decided to try it after reading about it in a magazine that it was Jessica Alba's fav. Now its mine too. I bought the brown. It does have a large applicator brush as previously reviewed here. The only reason why I thought they have done it that way is because somehow the formulation needs a big brush???? Not sure. But its a great mascara that doesn't flake or bleed color. Love it!
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments -Chanel - Sublimage
lowcarb 2/3/2007 4:10:00 PM
I tried this product after reading about it in the magazines. Background: I am 34 with accelerated wrinkling of the neck due to my husband's overly enthusiastic massaging of my neck (to relieve stress after 3rd baby!). I.e.: my neck skin shows wrinkling when I turn my head in either direction. This product made no difference in my neck skin at all. It gave my skin a glow - OK, but so does face oil (like Jurlique's, Aesop's, etc). I did not buy the large size. i bought a sample for about $35 off of eBay. So glad I did not spend $350. A nice moisturizer, but that's it. I am getting much better results with Kinerase C6 Peptide. HTH!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No