Mascara -Maybelline - Volum' Express The Falsies Waterproof Mascara
lurveit914 5/19/2013 8:20:00 AM
I'm amazed this mascara is only at 60% repurchase. REALLY? Personally, I find mascara to always be one of those hit or miss items with companies. More often than not they get it wrong, but there are a handful of good quality mascaras out there, and I NEED to know what the good mascaras are, so I don't waste my money on the duds. I'm with everybody else... I want long, thick lashes and honestly, this baby delivers that! I think it was Tanya Burr I heard raving about this mascara and having just finished my beloved 'Covergirl LashBlast Waterproof' I decided to get crazy and try this. PROS: - Thickens, separates and lengthens lashes (the wand somehow helps get to more lashes than I'm used to). - Formula helps hold a curl ALL day (the curl is initially created with my Shu Uemura eyelash curler). - Waterproof is definitely waterproof holding up against crying (TV series finale week) and my lovely oily eyelids. - Doesn't create panda eyes or transfers onto my brow bone by the end of the day. CONS: - Honestly, not one. However, I've only been using this mascara for two weeks so if something negative occurs I'll be sure to update. Honestly, it's cheesy because of the product name, but my lashes truly look very similar to natural looking false eyelashes. So, I'm in love.
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Gels/Soaps -MOR - Emporium Soap Bar - Italian Blood Orange
lurveit914 8/10/2012 9:52:00 PM
I just saw that the Italian Blood Orange soap bar received one star so I needed to jump in and give my thoughts because I love it! To be honest no, I don't use it as soap but like many others - as a wardrobe freshener. The smell is delicious! The fragrance is said to be infused with soft summer floral notes of Jasmine, Rose and Lily of the Valley (whatever that is). Whenever I open my cupboard you get hit with the yummy scent. It's one of those products that makes a fantastic gift for a friend because the packaging is absolutely stunning and along with the delicious fragrance it's just an overall pleasant product to be gifted. Just to also add as positives... it's made in Australia, not tested on animals and includes shea butter and vitamin e if you do opt to use it on your body :)
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Concealers -Bourjois - Healthy Mix Correcting Concealer
lurveit914 7/28/2012 2:43:00 AM
I actually really like this concealer. I've heard quite a few YouTube beauty lovers mention it here and there so I decided to pick it up. I purchased mine in number 52 from Priceline for $19. I use my Bobbi Brown corrector in Light Bisque for my purple/blue under eye circles and as for pimples/redness... I usually just use something low end but that's what I'm comparing this to. I know some have said they've experienced cakeyness with their under eye area and if that ever happens I will update my review but otherwise I think it does a fantastic job on the area. It's opaque enough to cancel out the darkness whilst it also slightly brightens the area. The one up this actually has over my BB corrector is that it dries to somewhat a powder finish. With my BB corrector I really need to set the area quite well and even then I still find the moisture causes the shadow on my lower lash line to slip giving me racoon eyes (regardless of using my UDPP). I've noticed when wearing this concealer my under eye area still looks flawless by the end of the day (due to the powder finish) and of course I love that. As for pimples/redness - the concealer cancels it out. I understand that logic tells us that this one concealer shouldn't be cancelling both purple/blue and red but it does. It also stays put once it's applied and for somebody like me with oily skin; the powder finish it dries to is greatly appreciated. Whatever I needed to conceal is still concealed by the end of the day. As for application - you don't need a lot of it and if you use too much - you will hate it because it will eventually cake on you. I'm also not a fan of using my fingers to apply it because you can easily put too much on. I take the route paved out by the Pixiwoo sisters with their real technique eye brushes (domed shadow or deluxe crease) to buff the concealer in for a more natural yet flawless look. Honestly, I really adore this concealer but I would probably highly recommend it to those with combination to oily skin more so than those with normal to dry skin. Also, much like many low end makeup companies - the colour range is pretty ridiculous with only three shades available.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lipstick -Revlon - Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain - Honey
lurveit914 7/5/2012 10:11:00 PM
I actually really love these new Revlon balm stain things (the name is ridiculously long to remember though and so familiar to the other duds they released last year). I'm a little too lazy/ too busy to be re-touching my lipstick throughout the day BUT like everybody else I love a bit of colour on my lips so this product was right up my alley. I've tried quite a few other brands in the past but they had all failed miserably, leaving your lips oddly stained, with weird gross dry bits clinging to the corners of your mouth. I don't know... it was all so gross. THESE however, are quite different. HONEY'S PROS AND CONS: Specifically, Honey is a deep pink and for reference (if it helps) I have ash blonde hair, freckles, hazel eyes and light-med skin tone. If you put one layer on you can have a nice natural lip colour whilst if you layer it, you can end up with something a little brighter of a deep pink. Personally, I'm not a fan of a brighter pink lip (even a darker pink lip) and when I first put this on I had a moment of "yikes!". I've since worked out that I prefer a light wash of this on my lips but when I do wear it (which is almost every other day) it fills in the gaps where my natural lip colour drops out, helping to define my lips. As for the gloss/balm factor - it stays for a few hours and then fades so if you want to use a different gloss you can because the original stain will still be there. Honey also fades pretty nicely. On my lips it actually lasts most of the day and by the end your lips are still stained a pretty nice colour. WOULD I RECOMMEND IT?: Yes I would. I'll see how this goes in the long run but I believe I would even repurchase. For the minor annoyances - I love that this is a quality stain that helps me out on a busy or lazy day. I end up arriving home and looking in the mirror to find my lips still look half decent even if they're faded. I'm still quite happy with the end look. It's a really lovely product Revlon has come up with and I hope they're able to get their inventing caps on to come up with even more natural colours (away from all the pinks). FOR THE AUSSIES: I know these haven't been released here yet and let's be honest we know they'll be around $20 each. So, I purchased mine off eBay - they were much cheaper and here within a week. If any other queries feel free to click my username and contact me through there. :)
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lips -Revlon - Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain- Romantic
lurveit914 7/5/2012 9:37:00 PM
I actually really love these new Revlon balm stain things (the name is ridiculously long to remember though and so familiar to the other duds they released last year). I'm a little too lazy/ too busy to be re-touching my lipstick throughout the day BUT like everybody else I love a bit of colour on my lips so this product was right up my alley. I've tried quite a few other brands in the past but they had all failed miserably, leaving your lips oddly stained, with weird gross dry bits clinging to the corners of your mouth. I don't know... it was all so gross. THESE however, are quite different. ROMANTIC'S PROS AND CONS: Specifically, Romantic is a really lovely red that compliments my ash blonde hair, freckles, hazel eyes and light-med skin tone. You can put on one layer for that 'just bitten' thing or build it up to have really sexy red lips. The gloss/balm factor stays for a few hours and then fades so if you want to use a different gloss you can or redo your lips with Romantic - you can and either way, it will still look lovely. They also fade really nicely however, if you're eating something with a bit of kick behind it (one night we had some curry :s ) and my lips were left with this ring of red stain around them, the stain on the inner part of my lips had just disappeared - not cute. A touch-up was quickly needed but overall the stain is true to its word - it lasts most, if not all day. My only small gripe would otherwise be with the application - although the product has a tip to it - you still need to be careful because I personally found the colour did bleed a little. In the morning I either used a lip liner or a concealer around my lips to just have my lips look a little more defined. WOULD I RECOMMEND IT?: Yes absolutely! For the minor annoyances - I've never had a product that gave me a red lip I felt comfortable enough to leave the house with because it suited me but too because of the fact that, for the most part - it doesn't budge. When it fades, it fades nicely without odd patches of staining on your lips. Really lovely product Revlon has come up with. FOR THE AUSSIES: I know these haven't been released here yet and let's be honest we know they'll be around $20 each. So, I purchased mine off eBay - they were much cheaper and here within a week. If any other queries feel free to click my username and contact me through there. :)
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Scrubs -Dermalogica - Daily Microfoliant
lurveit914 2/16/2012 7:32:00 AM
I had never heard of this product until I was given a sample. I tried it and the next day noticed a difference... my skin was a little brighter than before, pores smaller and skin smoother. I never wanted to spend too much on skincare products because to me they were all just full of empty promises but this is NOT one of those crappy products. PROS: - Brightens skin - Shrinks pores (they don't disappear but are smaller) - Skin is left smooth - Makeup application is easier because of it - The brightening effect helps some brown skin discolouration I have going on due the Australian sun. - Don't break out from it - Helps heal the odd (monthly friend) pimple much faster when used. - The full size bottle I ended up purchasing has so far lasted me 5 months. CONS: - Application can be tricky to work out/place into routine as the powder can't get wet until the moment you want to use it. However, I keep my bottle out of the bathroom and have a little mini cup that I pour a small amount into. - Expensive when purchasing (but value for money). APPLICATION: I initially pour a 1inch (5cent size piece for those Australians) amount into my little mini cup and place it outside of the shower but still in reach. I cleanse my face with Benzac facial wash (contains 5% Benzoyl peroxide.. similar to Proactiv but much cheaper) and then once that's washed off pour the Dermalogica powder into the palm of my hands. With the water already on my hands from the shower I rub the powder together to create a paste. I make sure I'm not directly under the shower nozzle at this point and rub the paste over my face, neck, shoulders and top chest (I've noticed such a nice difference in this area of my slightly sun damaged Aussie skin). I leave it on for 30secs-1min whilst I exfoliate or shave and then rinse it all off. I've tried using the stuff just in the sink but find it's much easier once a day or every second day in the shower. On a side note I have oily-combination skin but am very pimple prone. If I don't pay attention to my skin all hell will break loose! I can't use regular drugstore (low-end) facial cleansers (like clearasil, etc), sleep in my makeup just once, only use a face wipe instead of cleansing because my face will see breakouts (even at 26). So for me this stuff is fantastic and like I said above, along with my cleanser I now only see the odd pimple once a month and by no means is it obvious. Highly recommend.
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Concealers -Garnier - Anti-Dark-Circle Eye Roller
lurveit914 2/15/2012 11:40:00 PM
Okay so I'm fair-medium skin tone woman with purple/blue under eye circles. I don't want to say they're terrible but they cut pretty close. I recently realised I needed some help with them and with all the hype surrounding this product... bought into it. PROS: Covers the dark under eye circles pretty well, even helps cover some freckles. APPLICATION: I moisturise my face, roll this under my eyes, pat it in and then place my MUFE Matt Velvet + foundation over the top (but really any foundation/concealer will do to bump up the coverage). CONS: ...and this is a big one. It doesn't last. I've used this several times with a finishing powder (Mac Mineralised Skin Finish Natural) and without and it simply and truthfully is a 2hr con job to fool you and only you. If I apply this at 6.30am by 8.30am it's very clear that my under eye circles are coming back to haunt me. If you re-touch it can look cakey without a doubt and to be honest my day is far too busy to be heading for a mirror every 2 hours. Ridiculous. Personally, I'm going to give the more expensive Bobbi Brown Corrector a go in Light Bisque. It sounds like it does what I had hoped Garnier had promised (and does deliver for a few hours) but lasts ALL day. Would I recommend? No I wouldn't. UPDATE: Just thought I'd pop back in here to say I went ahead and purchased the Bobbi Brown correcor in Light Bisque not long after I did this review and it's been doing everything I was hoping Garnier would do. You need to moisturise before you use it BUT it covers the purple/blue dark areas, brightens and with setting, lasts ALL day! It's definitely a staple in my everyday makeup collection. If you're willing to spend the extra dollars - try the BB corrector in your shade. There isn't much product in the little container but with the right application you truly don't need much for it to work. Longevity wise - I've just hit pan a few weeks ago and that's with using it everyday since Feb (it's now mid June). Hopefully the update helps. :)
5 out of 7 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Bloom - Nail Polish
lurveit914 10/25/2011 3:55:00 AM
I have to say I REALLY like this product. I have the b collection by bloom nail polish in Barcelona, it's a beautiful coral and I really like it.. huh. I honestly picked the nail polish up on a whim (I think it was the new cute little flower that just drew me in as opposed to the scary looking woman they, I believe, once were marketing). It cost me $12.95 and although I believe I'll in future look out for specials in Target it's SO great to find a nail polish coming out with colours on trend, with a brush that's not too big and horrible, and a formula that's not at all streaky and frustrating. On a side note Barcelona (as most corals) makes my somewhat tanned feet, look a little more lovely and tanned (always nice). I'm also not one to venture away from OPI and Essie because of their quality and colour options but my eyes are now on bloom and I definitely recommend their polish. I THINK it's also an Aussie company (but I could be wrong) so, always good to find an Australian company with quality, cheaper products to support.
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Liquid -Make Up For Ever - Mat Velvet PLUS Matifying Foundation
lurveit914 10/19/2011 11:07:00 PM
I've just got my hands on deluxe samples of this foundation in various shades (20, 25, 30 &40) and wanted to give my first impressions. I'm going to compare this to Revlon Colorstay (oily/combination) because I feel like R/C is the low-end (drugstore) equivalent to this as it's aimed at all day wear, mattifying and aiding oily skin. PROS: - I love how this foundation does look closer to real skin then R/C. - It comes in 16 shades and I've worked out I'm a shade 20 in velvet+ for winter and shade 30 in summer (I'm Buff in R/C and otherwise an NC25 (20 in winter)). - It's very soft and smooth to the touch. R/C has that heavy feeling of thick foundation on the skin and to the touch... I hate that. With MUFE Velvet+ I feel like I have nothing on my face... such a nice change especially in the warmer months. - It's a heavier medium coverage, not full in my opinion but this helps it to not look cakey. - It doesn't oxidise (turn orange) which R/C also didn't do on me but other foundations (Maybelline SuperStay I'm talking to you!) have done. - It stayed on me all day (12+ hours) with no primer and when setting it with MAC mineralize skinfinish natural. 8+ hours with no primer nor setting powder. - Love that you can squirt out the foundation and not have to blob it out like R/C. CONS: - Velvet+ just doesn't cover everything. I can still see dark patches, veining, freckles and redness from an old pimple of two. I feel like R/C was much better at covering things even with a wet sponge. However, R/C can easily become cakey whereas Velvet+ maintains that 'natural' skin look by not covering everything perfectly (just slightly). Clearly, you'll need to invest in a decent concealer with Velvet+ - I have oily skin but apparently I have a dry patch near my mouth/chin. I had no clue because it's not detectable with no makeup on or with R/C on. I feel like this foundation has somehow found it and honed in on it which of course is annoying. For this reason I DO NOT recommend this to those with dry skin who deal with dry patches. I'm pretty oily (lovely, I know) so I don't know WHERE this dry patch came from?! - Price wise, this of course is a lot more expensive than R/C. Overall at the moment... I'm not in love (like TiffanyD) but I may just need to get use to it. It's only major 'one-up' on R/C in my overall opinion is that it feels and looks more like skin... like I'm not wearing anything on my face but jeez the price! EDIT (13th Feb 2012): I purchased a full size of Velvet + in November and am still going strong with it so cost wise I believe the product is value for money.. you really don't need a whole lot to do your face. I've also tried applying the product with a sponge, MAC 130 brush, fingers and found that a combination of the brush and fingers works best. I mix one squirt of the foundation with a pump of my moisturiser, apply with my MAC 130 stippling brush (stippling and buffing) and then lightly use my fingers to press the foundation into the skin around my nose, under eyes, etc. It creates a very, very natural 'my skin but better' look. I've also invested in Mac studio finish concealer and will purchase the Bobbi Brown under eye corrector because the foundation doesn't cover some areas I REALLY need it to. Today, I really like this foundation but I might update again when winter hits here in Australia.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Treatments (Eye) -Nivea - Q10 Plus Wrinkle Control Eye Cream
lurveit914 9/29/2011 1:36:00 AM
Wow, I'm not really one to write a review about skincare products because we all have different skin and honestly, I really don't believe what companies promise... keep my expectations low, that's what it's all about with the skincare industry, lol. BUT this... I had to pop a review on here for. I used the cream for about three weeks. The first week I thought it was alright ... moisturising. The second week I noticed the skin under my eyes began to lighten thinking, weird but I put it down to it lightening my dark circles (as it advertises). By the third week... AHHH... the skin under my eyes was now visibly much lighter than the rest of my face! NOT A GOOD LOOK!! It was so much lighter that my best friend even noticed and commented on it. I stopped using it immediately and tossed it in the trash. So that was about a month ago and since then the skin is looking slightly better but still a little lighter under the eyes and god how I wish I didn't pick up this product. I'm hoping sunscreen and the beach now that the warmer months are here in Australia will fix it but word of warning to others.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Essie - Topless & Barefoot
lurveit914 9/26/2011 5:18:00 AM
I actually really like this colour. The warmer months have set in here in Australia so I'm loving it. It's a nice nude nail with a slight pink undertone which I can only think looks fresh and polished (none of this 'dead' nonsense). Where some people may go wrong is with the colour simply not working with their skin tone or the steps leading up to application. When I first wore this polish my nails were slightly longer and the application and everything wasn't fantastic but I got serious and filed the nail back to a more natural squoval shorter shape, buffed, moisturised, tidied the cuticles and today, I'm loving the colour. I also had no real problems with the streaking issue... patience, a bit of Seche Vite top coat and done. I'll continue my search for that 'perfect' nude but for now, the overall look is nice :)
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -Essie - Van d'Go
lurveit914 9/26/2011 4:55:00 AM
Essie is currently quite new in Australia and only sold in high-end stores so, I purchased mine offline for a much better price. I also didn't get the chance to personally swatch the colour so I was relying greatly on reviews and because of this I wanted to clear a few things up that I'd read about Van D'Go which frankly scared the **** out of me. ...The colour does not go orange with or without Seche Vite top coat! At no point has my nail polish turned orange. The colour is however, hard to describe... I wouldn't say it's a true baby pink because it's deeper than baby pink and it's much lighter than salmon or coral so I guess it's a creamy, deep baby pink... but very pretty. I completely agree with the lady below me that it is a streaky polish and the colour and creamy texture just didn't look right on my fingers however, on my toes - wow. I also noticed when using my Seche Vite top coat that the streakiness disappeared but nevertheless it's a polish that requires patience. It's perfect for the warmer months as I also agree with it making my fair-med skin tone look a little more tanned. Probably wouldn't go out of my way to buy it again but it is a fun one to have for the warmer seasons
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Palettes -Sleek - Storm Palette
lurveit914 9/14/2011 1:28:00 AM
Oh wow, I love this palette. I'm going to be honest and say I'm not much of an eyeshadow person. I don't really own anything but a few eyeshadow quads and I like to stick to my neutrals. So, if you're like me and you know it's about time to invest in a good palette (and I looked at them all... Urban Decay, MAC, Too Faced etc.) then this is the palette you want. Not only did this palette cost me a mere $16AUD for 12 highly pigmented shadows but it also contained matte and frost. Other palettes for this price include what 4 shadows, that aren't really that pigmented or include chunks of glitter? I also like that everything is taken care of with this one little guy. I have inner corner/brow/face highlighters, multiple looks and beautiful darker shadows which force me to get out of my comfort zone (they're beautiful shades!). EDIT (17th Feb 2012): Since purchasing the Sleek Storm palette I've purchased several MAC eyeshadows (patina, trax, scene, naked lunch, etc) and I still find myself going for this palette. The highlight shade suits my NC25 skin beautifully and I still adore the neutrals and blues. Would still highly recommend.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Lancome - Hypnose Doll Lashes
lurveit914 9/12/2011 10:12:00 PM
The mascara does exactly what it says - gives you dolls eyelashes. It will give you longer, separated lashes. The formula does slightly pull down your lashes too which is annoying. OVERALL - I've got to be honest and say it's truly nothing great and I'm in the many that want it all - long, thick lashes. If I have to settle for only one... having medium length lashes and a quality Shu Uemura eyelash curler - I'll go with volume. Would I buy it again - no, I wouldn't. EDIT - Ew. I've just checked my face before I wash my makeup off. I've today only had on my normal face makeup and this mascarra.. no eyeliner or eyeshadow. A very clean/fresh Spring face (being in Australia) and the mascarra has run making me have those panda eyes! I normally use Covergirl Lashblast or Revlon Grow Luscious (not waterproof) and have had neither of them do this on me.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Unlisted Brand - Benzac AC Wash
lurveit914 9/24/2010 6:02:00 AM
My face has always been quite oily on the T-zone and inner cheeks however it can also be dry around the jawlne. Regardless, I've always had a fight on my hands with pimples under the skin, black heads, white heads and the usual pimples. When Proactiv first hit the Australian market I found it worked quite well for my skin however, it was quite frankly way too expensive. After some research I stumbled across Benzac (5%) being praised by quite a few people due to the benzoyl peroxide and worked in little beads (or whatever they are) and I've been using it ever since (6 years now). As the product is only sold at the chemist, over the years I've got desperate knowing I need more cleanser in a hurry and have tried to use the supermarket brands (Clearisil, etc again) to only find my skin become more oily and pimples above and under the skin surfacing (the ones that hurt!). PROS - - Works just like Proactiv but is much more affordable at $16AUD on average. - Got rid of my pimples above and under the skin and has kept them away. - Has helped control the oil on my skin since using it. CONS - - Like Proactiv, you'll need to invest in white face washers/towels as the peroxide in the product will lighten anything it directly touches. - There is no great nice smell about the product - it's there to do a job (not be pretty). MY ROUTINE- Morning: Wash face followed by Olay SPF30+ moisturiser (or primer) and daily makeup routine. Evening: Wash face - no moisturiser. My skin is oily enough that even using moisturiser at night brings on more pimples. Also, follow the directions - when I first used it, it dried my skin so much it hurt so, I followed the package directions which tells you to skip the morning wash and just do night time face washes... which I did and still do every now and then (also being in a hurry) but this doesn't effect my skin to the point that I see pimples return by any means. The other packaging direction states to give it at least a week or two because I noticed when I first used it I had so many more pimples pop up ... but it was as if, all it needed was to kill the last of them off over the fortnight, and they were gone. EDIT (20th Feb 2012): Now at 26, this product is still very much apart of my facial routine. I cleanse my face with Benzac (5%) however, I've since included Dermalogica's microfoliant, once a day, after I cleanse and then apply my moisturiser (morning Olay SPF30+ or my under eye night cream) and walla! I'm still very much happy with my pimple free skin.
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