Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Small Stipple
mary_ln 5/6/2013 8:29:00 PM
I have never had an E.L.F brush that I didn't like, but this one is amazing! I have several of them - one for cream blush and the other for concealer. They say you get what you pay for, but you get oh so much more for many E.L.F products, especially their Studio line brushes.
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Blush -Revlon - Photoready Cream Blush
mary_ln 5/6/2013 8:18:00 PM
Some reviewers seem to be disappointed with this product in the color Pinched. Noting that, I decided to purchase the other two - Coral Reef and Flushed. Glad I bought them because they have ended up being my favorite cream blushes. Even though they look scary bright in their containers, they go on smoothly, giving my cheeks a nice soft flush. I have used fingertips to apply, but recently began using my new small stipple brush from E.L.F Not sure why the color doesn't last all day for some. Can only surmise it's either the color choice or application method. Even though the feel of the product can be rather dry, it still needs to be applied as a cream - not a powder - the idea being that it will then dry to a powder finish. And it doesn't settle into fine lines either. A+ product for me!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Brows -Paula's Choice - Brow/Hair Tint
mary_ln 4/30/2013 1:28:00 PM
Response seems to be all over the place on this product. I think I originally bought this as a hair tint to touch up roots. It lay forgotten in my cosmetic stash until recently becoming my favored way to camouflage increasingly greying brows. I've tried everything from brow waxes and powders to permanent dye. My brows have always been very dark and thick. As they are starting to turn (white and wiry!) this is the only product besides dye that will actually cover them. Dye is great, but as my brows need constant shaping and trimming, that's just a time consuming process that requires too frequent maintenance. I actually use the lightest shade - fawn which was suggested when I called to order. This works for me to darken only the white hairs and blends beautifully with the rest of the brow. Some folks complain of clumping and slow drying time. I don't have these problems, but I use the same technique to apply this as I do mascara. I dab the wand tip several times on a clean tissue and do the same with the short bristled side which is the side I use for my brows. This leaves just enough product to dispense a light, clump-free coat onto the brows. If you are considering purchasing, definitely talk to the customer service reps. to insure that you get the correct color to address your needs. I would never have thought that such a light shade was what I needed. I will repurchase this as long as they carry it in their line.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyeliner -L'Oreal - Infallible Gel Lacquer Liner in Dark Slate
mary_ln 1/7/2013 9:11:00 PM
I have really tried to like gel/cream eyeliners. Really. But this is the only and I mean only one that has ever delivered. The formula is exquisitely creamy, enabling you to draw a clean, smooth line. It doesn't dry immediately, enabling you to go back and smooth out or touch up any areas. After drying, this color (dark slate) is a neutral dark taupe, matte shade - very flattering if you're looking for something other than a harsh black line. And the liner brush is a wonderful little bonus - very nice quality. I'm tossing all my other liners and keeping my fingers crossed that this is never discontinued.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -E.L.F. - Studio Line Waterproof Lengthening & Volumizing Mascara
mary_ln 8/19/2012 12:55:00 AM
I truly wish I could like this - such a great price. There are some great E.L.F. products out there - unfortunately this isn't one of them. The formula is dry, dry, dry and at the end of the day what you have left are crumbly bits that are either extremely difficult to remove, even with an oil based eye makeup remover or have flaked off onto your cheeks and eyelids. Horrible stuff!
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Mascara -Stila - Forever Your Curl
mary_ln 7/15/2012 5:01:00 PM
Keeping it short and sweet - o.k. if you like smearing and flaking. :( Love the brush, though. Wouldn't repurchase in a million years.
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Makeup Brushes -E.L.F. - Studio Angled Foundation Brush
mary_ln 7/12/2012 9:26:00 PM
All I can say is that I've never found a foundation brush before that I've liked. I love this one and the price is awesome! My foundation application has never looked better. The brush is well made, holds its shape and cleans up in a snap. At this price I may buy a spare.
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Polishes -Sally Hansen - Smooth And Perfect
mary_ln 7/3/2012 8:41:00 PM
This polish is supposed to fill in nail ridges and boy does it deliver. My nails have always been deeply ridged and lately my best option is to have salon shellac manicures. Now I can save $$$ with this amazing polish. I have 5 of the colors (only tried 3 so far) and I can safely say this is miracle stuff. The colors are light and lovely with a gorgeous satiny finish. I have had absolutely no problems with bubbling. I generally apply between 2 to 3 coats and don't find the dry time any different than most other polishes. Some folks don't like the brush, but I find it easy to control. I finish off with a top coat of SH Insta-Dri in the red curved bottle and I'm good to go with my best looking home mani ever! So far, my favorite color has been Dune which is a lovely, understated beige with just a hint of shimmer.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Tinted Moisturizer -E.L.F. - Studio Tinted Moisturizer
SPF 20
mary_ln 5/20/2012 10:49:00 PM
********EDIT: I changed my rating on this. I'm finding that the only shade that works for my fair/medium skin tone is the lightest one. And that when used over a period of time this does indeed tend to dry out the skin. Too bad - I really wanted this to work! *********I love this - however I do treat it more as a foundation instead of a TM. This is my routine: after washing my face, I use a moisturizer with SPF and then slap on a topcoat layer of primer. I never have any trouble blending the TM and the color sticks around until night time removal. If I didn't follow these steps, I can understand why you might have trouble with application. The lightest color (porcelain) works best for my medium fair skin, but the second shade (nude) isn't bad either. On me, they're rather forgiving as I apply them with a light hand. I feel that I can do this because of that undercoat of moisturizer with SPF. I like TM's that actually impart a bit of color and this one fills the bill. I also like the TM from Paula's Choice, but the price difference makes this one hard to beat.
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Top/Base Coats -Sally Hansen - SalIy Hansen Insta-Dri Anti-Chip Top Coat
mary_ln 5/20/2012 10:10:00 PM
One lippie off because it doesn't deliver on the anti-chip promise. However (and this is a big however), it works wonders as a fast dry top coat. I love, love it for that fact alone.
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Blush -Alison Raffaele - Inner Glow Gel Blush- Charming
mary_ln 5/12/2012 3:48:00 PM
I have 3 of these in the colors Playful, Witty and Charming. I would repurchase, but that might be hard to do as I believe they may have been discontinued. All three of these colors are beautiful - very sheer and very believable. I have found the best way to apply them is by rubbing a cotton swab very firmly over the product until I have enough to dot several spots of color on each check. The gel stick itself is very solid making it too difficult to apply with fingertips and I find when I try to rub it over my cheeks it's too hard to do without dislodging my foundation. A slight dusting of loose powder and you're good to go the entire day.
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Blush -Alison Raffaele - Inner Glow Gel Blush- Witty
mary_ln 5/12/2012 3:47:00 PM
I have 3 of these in the colors Playful, Witty and Charming. I would repurchase, but that might be hard to do as I believe they may have been discontinued. All three of these colors are beautiful - very sheer and very believable. I have found the best way to apply them is by rubbing a cotton swab very firmly over the product until I have enough to dot several spots of color on each check. The gel stick itself is very solid making it too difficult to apply with fingertips and I find when I try to rub it over my cheeks it's too hard to do without dislodging my foundation. A slight dusting of loose powder and you're good to go the entire day.
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Blush -Alison Raffaele - Inner Glow in Playful
mary_ln 5/12/2012 3:47:00 PM
I have 3 of these in the colors Playful, Witty and Charming. I would repurchase, but that might be hard to do as I believe they may have been discontinued. All three of these colors are beautiful - very sheer and very believable. I have found the best way to apply them is by rubbing a cotton swab very firmly over the product until I have enough to dot several spots of color on each check. The gel stick itself is very solid making it too difficult to apply with fingertips and I find when I try to rub it over my cheeks it's too hard to do without dislodging my foundation. A slight dusting of loose powder and you're good to go the entire day.
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Blush -Maybelline - Bouncy Blush - Hot Tamale
mary_ln 5/12/2012 3:19:00 PM
Yes, I like this - especially the color. I don't like that I have to rub my fingers over the product to apply. It doesn't seem very hygienic. But I'm such a fan of the color - gives you such a natural flush - that I would definitely repurchase.
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Treatments -Paula's Choice - RESIST Daily Smoothing Treatment with 5% AHA
mary_ln 5/12/2012 1:48:00 PM
Yes, yes, yes I would buy this product again. I've been using various AHA products for years and this is hands down the best I've ever tried. It has a beautiful consistency and delivers superior results.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No