Blush -Tarte - Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush - Blushing Bride
mermanda 11/17/2012 4:51:00 PM
I had been intrigued but intimidated by the blushing bride cheek stain for years. I wasn't a huge fan of the stickiness of the stains in general though, so I never did purchase it. When it came out in the Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush, I was so excited to give it a try -- but was scared it would look super purple and unnatural on my very fair complexion. I'm very happy to say it looked very natural and gave me a very healthy glow with just a hint of plum. It has a little shimmer to it -- but it is not glittery. It is my favorite blush -- and the one I wear the most. It is a versatile shade that looks good with anything. I think this shade would compliment any skin tone. The packaging is lovely and this blush has some incredible staying power. 12 hours might be a stretch -- but it definitely lasts me all day at work with no reapplication needed. Will definitely repurchase -- but a little goes a long way, so I won't need to buy another for a long time.
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Lip Treatments -Eucerin - Aquaphor Healing Ointment for Lips
mermanda 11/17/2012 4:45:00 PM
Recently I had a patch of dry skin on my upper lip that wouldn't go away. I had slathered my usual Badger lip balm on it with no success. Even coconut oil and castor oil failed me. I went to the drug store for Vaseline lip therapy, but saw this instead and knowing how good Aquaphor's other products are, I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did. It soothed the dryness immediately and had great staying power. I only needed to reapply about every 3 or 4 hours. I was reapplying my regular lip balm almost constantly with no results. This stuff cleared up the dry patch within a day or two. I also love the packaging/delivery system. It has a slanted application tip that makes it very easy to apply. I also love that it doesn't look thick and goopy like vaseline can tend to. It looked like a sheer lip gloss -- even when applied heavily. Will definitely repurchase when I need some extra healing power for my lips.
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Blush -Laura Geller - Blush n Brighten Golden Apricot
mermanda 11/17/2012 4:34:00 PM
Overall, I love the healthy glow that this product gives me with just a bit of shimmer. I had been wanting to try a blush that leaned towards apricot/peach, but wasn't ready to jump into something that seemed more dramatic like Tarte's Blissful or Tipsy. This turned out to be exactly the color I was looking for. An apricot glow that still managed to look natural on my very fair complexion. A little goes a long way -- I'll rebuy when the time comes, but this is a ton of product. I haven't made a dent in it yet and I have been using it for months. As with most Laura Geller products, the packaging leaves much to be desired in terms of aesthetics -- but it does the job.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Cleansers -Desert Essence - Thoroughly Clean Face Wash with Organic Tea Tree Oil and Awapuhi
mermanda 4/12/2012 1:13:00 PM
I've been using this every night for about three years to remove my makeup. It leaves my skin feeling clean and not tight. I have acne-prone skin and am using Retin-A -- I don't find that this face wash irritates my skin and it is not overly-drying. Things that aren't so great about it: It is somewhat messy to use, though, because it shoots out as liquid and it is very difficult to travel with it. It stings REALLY BADLY if it accidentally gets in your eyes and if you accidentally get some in your mouth -- you will be shocked at how terrible it tastes. Not a problem if you don't eat your face wash I guess. ;) I have repurchased this many times -- including the very economical giant refill bottle. Great value.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Powder -Tarte - Smooth Operator Micronized Clay Finishing Powder
mermanda 4/11/2012 8:21:00 PM
I love the flawless finish this gives me. I can honestly tell the difference when I forget to use it. This powder, dusted on with a kabuki brush ever so lightly on top of my foundation, highlighter and blush, gives a great polished look -- and gives me a nice glow. The one thing I don't like about this is the delivery system. You are supposed to be able to get the perfect amount from the one tiny hole in the center by gently pressing down on it. This was true at first but now that I've used about a fourth of the product, I am finding it is getting harder to dispense. I can only imagine it will get worse as I continue to use it. I do appreciate that it keeps the powder in the container where it belongs... but maybe they can tweak the design a little to make it easier to dispense. Despite the delivery system, I will definitely rebuy. Love it.
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Pressed Powders -Pur Minerals - Universal Marble Powder in Pink
mermanda 4/11/2012 8:16:00 PM
There is nothing special about this blush. It is fine for what it is -- pink blush -- but I know there are better products out there for the money. While the color is buildable, it doesn't seem to stick around for long... especially when I compare it to the 12-hour amazonian clay blush from Tarte. I'd say by 1 p.m. you'd hardly be able to tell I was wearing it -- which is odd because I'm not oily -- in fact I lean towards dry these days. I will continue to use this until it is gone, but I won't repurchase.
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Eyeliner -Urban Decay - 24/7 eyeliner in Rockstar
mermanda 4/11/2012 8:11:00 PM
This has been my favorite eyeliner for a few years. It is so versatile. I can wear it with pretty much any color eyeshadow. I bought the anniversary set of 15 eye pencils from UD and after using the other shades, I can still say this deep plum color is #1! The one thing I'm not crazy about is that it seems very hard to get a sharp point with this eye pencil. It is always a little dull -- but I've heard if you put it in the freezer for a bit before sharpening, it can help solve that problem.
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Primer/ Corrector -Tarte - Clean Slate
mermanda 4/11/2012 7:57:00 PM
I've gone through a few of these so far -- it is the best makeup primer that I have tried. Like all other Tarte products I have tried, it does not break me out. It goes on smoothly. It is a very good base for liquid or powder foundation. I really like that it does not feel heavy on my face like some other primers -- I can't even tell I have it on. What I like best about this product is that it is cruelty-free and free of parabens. What I don't like is the packaging. It is too hard to get out the last few applications -- I actually cut it open and can use it for about 2 more weeks once I cannot squeeze any more out. It looks like Tarte has discontinued this and rolled out the Clean Slate 12-hour primer in poreless and brightening formulas. I'm sorry to see a great product go -- but I am eager to try the new poreless product.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Scrubs -Yes To Carrots - Yes To Tomatoes Daily Pore Scrub
mermanda 4/11/2012 7:47:00 PM
After researching a suitable cruelty-free replacement for Neutrogena Deep Clean Gentle Scrub, I purchased this with high hopes. The Salicylic Acid, exfoliating beads, and the fact that it is natural (Petroleum, SLS & Paraben Free) and cruelty-free were the main selling points for me. The very reasonable price (less than $10) didn't hurt either. I've been using it for about 3 weeks and am very happy with this scrub. I use it every morning. I'm using Retin-A and this scrub is gentle enough to cause no irritation, yet tough enough to help slough off flakey dry skin. I also like that the ginger root and tomatoes unclogs pores and helps reduce redness. I really do glow after using this and my face feels very clean. I think it has a pleasant smell, but it isn't a strong fragrance or one that lingers for very long. The packaging is good -- it doesn't leak and is easy to dispense. The only problem is that I find it's easy to end up with too much product if you don't squeeze the bottle very gently. I will definitely buy this again -- this product definitely lived up to my expectations.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Lip Treatments -Badger - Cocoa Butter Lip Balm in Creamy Cocoa
mermanda 3/13/2012 2:19:00 PM
My HG lip balm. Can't live without this stuff. I keep an extra tube in my fridge at all times. It is the only lip product that I've found that doesn't contain dangerous ingredients, actually sticks around for a few hours after application, and leaves my lips noticeably hydrated. Also, I'm very sensitive to fragrance. This has a very subtle cocoa butter fragrance, but I find it nice, actually, though I admit it did take a few days to grow on me. I buy this at my local co-op for under $4. I am guessing Whole Foods carries it too. As a bonus, Badger is a family-owned eco-friendly company.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
CD/Books/Movies -Kevyn Aucoin - Book- Making Faces
mermanda 3/13/2012 2:14:00 PM
I got this from the library as a trial run. If it was as good as everyone said, I planned to buy my own copy. Wow... not even close to living up to the hype. While the photos are beautiful, the actual instruction provided in the book is vague at best. The drawings all look the same to me -- and all of the eye looks can be summed up as: base color on eyelid, color in outer corner of crease, blend, highlight browbone,mascara. Done. I was hoping for something a bit beyond the basics. I don't recommend you waste your money on this book if you have been playing with makeup for years -- as I assume we all have. But that said, I don't even think this works as an intro to makeup due to the vague instruction. Sorry, Kevyn. I love you, but I just don't get it.
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Lip Treatments -Blistex - Lip Infusion
mermanda 10/9/2008 3:06:00 PM
I never would have guessed I could be so disappointed by a lip moisturizer. This stuff is garbage. The smell is gross and overpowering. (I don't want my lips to be scented, thanks.) This has absolutely no healing powers and even the gloss only lasts for 5 minutes. Do not buy! I'm sticking with Vaseline Lip Therapy.
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Blush -Physicians Formula - Pearls of Perfection Blush in Blushing Berry
mermanda 4/14/2008 9:27:00 PM
I'm not sure if they have discontinued this, but I've been using it for years. I love the highlighting beads mixed in with the various shades of pinks and plums. I'm fair and this looks great on me--gives me a healthy glow. My only complaint is that the beads get stuck in the brush and end up falling on the floor. Minor frustration though compared to how much I like this product.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Maybelline - Define A Lash
mermanda 4/14/2008 9:18:00 PM
I like this mascara, but it's not the best out there. For the money, it is great because it doesn't give me spider lashes and it doesn't clump. It might not be for you if you like to do multiple coats of mascara on your lashes--because I find things start to get messy if I do more than one coat. I usually can get by with one coat, so it's not a problem for me. I like it much better than Great Lash.
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Eye Shadow -Prescriptives - Colorscope Eyeshadow in Marine
mermanda 4/14/2008 9:07:00 PM
My favorite eyeshadow ever. I originally got it in a holiday palette. I wear it with a light yellow shadow as a highlighter. I find it is really easy to manipulate the color to go from day to night. One swoop across the lid leaves a pretty subtle teal shimmer. Add an extra swoop or two and you have deep turquoise with a nice silver shine to it. I love to wear it with turquoise eyeliner on the bottom lid.
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