Lipstick -NARS - Jungle Red
mariavittoria1987 6/10/2013 6:35:00 PM
I thought a pure red with no visible blue or orange tones would be boring. Never have I been so wrong... We have been so obsessed with our timeless Ruby Woo's and our trendiest neon oranges we have forgotten the beauty of truly red lips. When you wear this, you will be telling the world you are wearing red lipstick. Not cherry, not tomato, not berry, not brick: it is the most gorgeous and sexy pure RED you will find around, in a super smooth matte finish, which makes it more sophisticated. It's a hot statement and a mood lifter. I wear this when I want to impress or seduce. If you have blue eyes, this will make them pop like crazy. A personal must-have and one of NARS's best lipsticks.
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Liquid -Illamasqua - Skin Base foundation
mariavittoria1987 6/10/2013 6:13:00 PM
I LOVE my Skin Base! After trying it out for myself I decided to add it to my pro kit and now it's one of my favourite foundations to use on clients. First of all, the color range is outstanding. They have really researched skintone variations in depth, because the colors really make a lot of sense. I own n.6 for myself, which is a beautiful shade for light Caucasian skin, a perfect balance of pink and yellow undertones with a certain warmth to it. You know how some base products (BB creams in particular) claim to be "neutral" toned, and upon close inspection they indeed don't have an imbalance in yellow or pink tones but end up looking greyish? The beauty of Skin Base n.6 lies in that touch of peach in it that keeps your complexion looking alive. I've worked on hundreds of Chinese models and n.3 is a fantastic base for very fair, very yellow toned complexions. When you squirt out the product, it looks quite thick. Indeed, it's not the most runny texture, but it spreads beautifully anyway and it almost seems to "wrap" the skin and perfect it, rather than sitting on top of it. The coverage is outstanding, starts from medium with one light layer and can be built up to higher coverage on blemishes or hyperpigmentation. It's not quite full coverage as something like Kevyn Aucoin's Sensual Skin Enhancer or Estee Lauder Maximum Cover, but it comes close. Staying power is good and is easily boosted with a thin layer of their Matt Primer underneath. I also love to mix that primer with the foundation itself when I want a more sheer coverage. On my own skin (oily, sensitive and acne-prone) it gets shiny after about 3-5 hours depending on weather/activity, which is about average for me, so nothing exceptional but not bad either. It works well on most skin types. The correct skin prep is essential whether you have dry, oily or sensitive skin, which is the reason why some people can't seem to like it enough. If your skin is correctly exfoliated and moisturized, this will look amazing. The finish is flawless yet natural. If you apply a really sheer layer, it can look undetectable on the skin. Somehow it manages to conceal imperfections without the plasticky, airbrushed look that you can get from some high coverage cream foundation for example. Your pores will be perfected but they will still look like pores. Love the packaging as well. The bottle is very practical and hygenic, easy to find in my makeup bag (and detect the colour I need) and I think it looks quite unique compared to most other foundations! Needless to say, it has no SPF and photographs beautifully, which is also why it's one of my top choices when I do makeup for print. I got mines with a pro discount, but I would definitely pay full price for this anytime. Highly recommended!
4 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -NARS - Sheer Glow Foundation 
mariavittoria1987 6/10/2013 5:53:00 PM
It wasn't the right formula for me. After quitting BCP my skin became quite oily again, I bought this foundation around the same time not realizing the switch that my skin was having. The colour match was good, and the finish of this foundation is lovely. Medium coverage with a satiny finish, albeit I wouldn't call it neither sheer nor glowy. I have to say it's not the most lightweight foundation either, you can definitely feel it on your skin, so overall I found it more suitable for a night out where you want to look polished. Unfortunately it turned greasy on me within an hour of wear so I swapped it away, but I can see how it would look amazing on people with normal to dry skin.
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Foundations -Estee Lauder - Double Wear Maximum Cover Camouflage Makeup For Face & Body
mariavittoria1987 6/10/2013 5:45:00 PM
I wish I discovered this in my teens, when I had really bad acne that made me very self conscious. No wonder this is a staple in Charlotte Tilbury's kit, I'm considering adding it to mine as well. In a nutshell: covers ANYTHING and still looks natural, even in daylight. It's very longlasting and can be also just mixed into another foundation for added coverage. I like to do a first layer with a more natural foundation first (currently Urban Decay Naked Skin) and then go back with this one on problem areas. I do have acne and some post hyperpigmentation and after using this I don't need concealer. I would recommend to keep your skin decently exfoliated to maximize the wear and the smooth finish.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Liquid -Urban Decay - Naked Skin
mariavittoria1987 6/10/2013 5:39:00 PM
This is a really lovely foundation! The thing that impressed me the most is the buildability. With an exceptionally thin texture, one layer provides sheer coverage, while 2 or 3 give a really nice medium coverage that never looks cakey. The finish is VERY natural and almost invisible, I wish it was more matte but I do have oily skin. It feels super lightweight, really can't feel it on the skin. Decently long lasting as well, although I do have to blot every 3-4 hours, but it doesn't turn me into a complete oil slick either. Shade 2 is a really nice match and the color range is well rounded and based on realistic skintones. I apply with a synthetic buffing brush, buffing the first layer in, then going back on problem areas with a stippling motion. Can't beat that, although I will try it with my Beauty Blender as well. The adjective that best describes it is: lovely. A real pleasure to apply and wear!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Makeup Brushes -Sigma - E40 Tapered Blending (was SS224) 
mariavittoria1987 3/10/2011 11:48:00 AM
This came with the eye brush kit. It was great at first, very soft and functional, but after a few washes the bristles lost their shape and now they're all splayed out. It also sheds quite a bit. I can still use it for blending light lid colours but not when I need to be precise. Overall, a disappointment.
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Makeup Brushes -Sigma - E45 Small Tapered Blending (was SS226)
mariavittoria1987 3/10/2011 11:46:00 AM
I had high hopes on this one. At first it was great, soft and precise. After a few washes it lost its shape and now is not tapered or pointed anymore, the bristles are all splayed out. It's still pretty soft and I can use it for some no-fuss blending but it's not what I wanted.
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Mascara -Dr. Hauschka - Mascara - Brown
mariavittoria1987 2/13/2011 12:47:00 PM
I've given this more than one try, having owned it for almost a year, but I still think it's one of the worst mascaras I've ever had. I haven't tossed this out yet because of the price. It IS damn pricey, and for that amount I'd rather buy some high-end mascara that works. This basically does NOTHING to my lashes. I have blonde, long, full lashes that need colour because otherwise they won't show. Even if I apply 4, 5, 6 coats of this, nothing happens. It feels as if I'm putting water on my lashes. It's ridiculous! And on top of that, I happened to sneeze once a couple of minutes after the application and the product got all smeared on my undereye area. No thanks.
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Moisturizers -Lancome - Bienfait Multi-Vital SPF 30
mariavittoria1987 2/12/2011 5:13:00 PM
I used this moisturizer a couple of years ago, when I used to live in Beijing. It is a solid day moisturizer, with really good spf, but I believe it is formulated for dry skin. The winter there was really crazy, always below zero and very dry, so my skin was really suffering. This helped a lot! It is also a good base for makeup. I would not use in summer though, and I will not repurchase as I'm trying to stick to natural skincare.
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Powders -Clinique - Clinique Redness Solutions Instant Relief Mineral Powder
mariavittoria1987 2/12/2011 8:58:00 AM
NOTE: This review is for the Redness Relief Mineral PRESSED Powder. I use this mainly as a powder for touch-ups throughout the day, although it works well as a finishing powder too! First off, let me say this doesn't have a dramatic power in reducing redness. You do need to pair it with an effective primer and/or green concealers etc. So I would say that the correcting effect is really mild, not suitable if you have serious redness issues, such as rosacea, bad acne etc. However, I only get red cheeks and nose especially with the cold weather or dramatic temperature changes (inside/outside), and this works just fine! A list of pros: - mild corrector of redness - very finely milled, so it looks transparent and 100% natural on skin - possibly it has some calming effect - really handy to keep in my purse for touch-ups - it can be layered and the yellow never shows off too obviously Cons: - consider buying something else if your redness is very obvious - quite pricey - I don't understand the open holes on the back of the packaging. It feels like it lets bacteria in so easily! One final consideration: a) this does NOT mattify. Don't buy this if you need oil control. In sum: do buy this if you have mild redness, normal to dry sensitive skin and need a compact powder! I like it!
3 out of 3 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Blush -NYX - Raisin
mariavittoria1987 2/9/2011 11:15:00 AM
First of all, let me say I actually prefer this over my MAC Blushbaby!! It's the ultimate neutral blush that also works wonders as a contour shade for pale ladies like me. It's very neutral, I can't see any obvious yellow or pink tone to it, so I think it would suit most complexions. I actually think that this is a really unique shade, I don't see this being easily duped. I use it when I do bold eyes to give me a nice flush of colour without directing the attention too much on my cheeks. It's also fantastic for an elegant night look, with a smokey eye and/or bright lips. This is for you, girls who don't like pinky/shimmery/baby cheeks! This stuff is for sexy chic ladies! It's SUPER pigmented, definitely more than MAC blushes. It looks quite dark in the pan but if applied with a light hand you can definitely control the amount you put on and even get sheer coverage. It has a matte finish, which I like (we've had enough of shimmering blushes, don't you think?). Definitely worth buying also considering the price. NYX has an excellent range of blushes, overall even better than MAC. I will probably only buy NYX blushes from now on, so worth the price.
4 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Palettes -Laura Mercier - Eye and Cheek Silk Road
mariavittoria1987 2/9/2011 11:02:00 AM
This is a beautiful palette which would complement many skin tones. I thought the price was pretty good for 4 eyeshadow and 2 blushes, all at Laura Mercier's quality standard, so I bought it for £37 in the Uk. First of all, the packaging is pretty luxurious. Instead of plastic or cardboard they chose a firm and sleek looking fabric, and the size is great to toss it in your purse. Eyeshadows: I love the deep purple, the lavender and the taupe (huge pigmentation and NO fallout!), I'm a bit disappointed by the light glittery pink, it only transfer glitters and no colour. But hey, those flecks look pretty good on the browbone anyway. I also like the idea of matching purples with a neutral taupe, it works really great. Cheeks: one GORGEOUS coral with golden shimmer and one (again) shimmery pale pink highlighter! Seriously, I think they went a little overboard with shimmer in this palette, but I don't mind it for daywear either, since it's very sheer. All in all, my only little gripe would be the two glittery pinks (they also look pretty similar), a matte pink eyeshadow would have fit perfectly. But I must say that overall this palette is really superb quality, pretty, girly and perfect for day/night looks. Everybody should have one!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -Boots - No7 Stay Perfect Eyeliner (Liquid)
mariavittoria1987 2/9/2011 10:53:00 AM
I have this in Gunmetal, a really pretty grey-taupe colour. I like the texture, it's liquid but on the creamy side. I don't use the provided applicator, instead I much prefer an angled eyeliner brush. It's well pigmented and stays on decently - 6-8 hours? The colour is very versatile, it can be worn with many eyeshadow colours, but I especially love it with pinks.
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Eye Shadow -NARS - Habanera Duo
mariavittoria1987 2/9/2011 10:46:00 AM
HG material here!! I read tons of reviews before I had the chance to take a trip to the UK and actually see this in person at Selfridges (NARS doesn't sell in my country). I was so excited I went there with no makeup on my eyes and asked the SA to apply it. URGH. It looked horrible, as if someone had just punched me in the eyes. However, I did believe in the two beautiful complimentary shades so I bought it anyway. Turns out I was right, and the SA had probably missed her morning coffe or whatever, because when I tried it at home with my brushes and my hands, it looked FABULOUS!! seriously, one of the best eyeshadows I've seen on my eyes. The trick is blending, as always. It really makes BLUE eyes POP even on an uber-pale skin like mine!! It looks extremely polished and sophisticated. The intensity is buildable, you can easily go from a classy wash of colour during work hours to a bold smokey eye for nighttime. I could go on for hours: excellent colour payoff, no fallout, beautiful blendability, and THE SHADES!! who would've thought those two colours would be so sexy and sophisticated together?? It is extremely expensive at £23, but honestly I don't care, it will last me a long time and I will definitely repurchase when I finish it.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -NYX - Jumbo Eye Shadow Pencil - Yogurt
mariavittoria1987 2/9/2011 10:38:00 AM
I bought this on a UK website and ordered from Italy, so I paid much more than all American ladies here, which pisses me off. Anyway, the product is really cool! I've been using this on a daily basis over my eye primer and under eyeshadow. It really makes shadows pop and look more vibrant and creamy. I think it also minimizes fallout. The colour is neutral enough that it works as a great base for a wide range of colours - except maybe greens and blues?. I will probably buy this in Milk too, which sounds more versatile. My only gripe is that this can't be used as an eyeshadow (even with primer, and even if you don't have oily eyelids), it does crease badly!! They should rename it to Jumbo Eyeshadow Base or something like that. Overall I'm very pleased and would buy again.
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